


Verdi

by xNoLights



Series: Vertian and Adeline [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Graphic Description of Corpses, Humans, Later Smut, Love, Mass Effect 3, Mild canon divergence, Multi, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Turians, Writing for a friend and myself, i suck at summaries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 08:13:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 43,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6510082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xNoLights/pseuds/xNoLights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Squads were needed, however who thought there would be a group of mismatched moronic soldiers to be lead by Kal'Reegar as a favor to Shepard and at the request of Tali. A Turian Havoc meets his match in the form of an N7 Shadow. The Chemistry out in the field definitely extends further. </p><p>I suck at summaries</p><p>Oc Characters story.<br/>Drakes and My own characters. </p><p>Basically more in depth of Iron Turian and Black Shadow, how they met, how they kinda got involved, their story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sentimental

            “Okay, so we’re a team of mismatched, but talented soldiers. Anyone got questions?” asked a Quarian as he stood at attention in front of the seven he’d been assigned. Two Asari girls, pretty, and far from disciplined, but they were strong biotics and talented beyond belief. A Human Vanguard with a background in engineering, he was standing with a cigarette in his mouth and looking bored. The Batarian was… well… like most Batarians, antisocial and standoffish. The Krogan was off in some dream world chuckling under his breath, he looked like he was barely am adult.  
            Honestly, Kal’Reegar was just glad at least he had two soldiers at his disposal. He didn’t remember anyone’s names, and wasn’t ashamed of it. Honestly everyone should just be happy that he had even agreed to lead this force. If Shepard and Tali hadn’t asked him personally he would have told them to shove it, he wasn’t leaving The Floatilla. They did though, and here he was.  
            A Turian Havoc from the 26th armiger was a blessing. They were trained and well disciplined. The N7 Shadow was a second miracle, apparently she'd volunteered. At least he could count on them to help him keep the others in line, even if they were talented, they were still trouble. How on earth did Shepard handle this? He had no clue, and didn’t want to find out; hopefully they wouldn’t be as bad as Shepard had warned.  
            When silence and a few shakes of heads was all that he got he sighed. “Okay well, this is the SS Aurora! This will be our home until either we die fiery painful deaths or this war ends. Take care of it, it’s a small ship and the only ones other than us is our dear pilot Mr. Krep. Commander Shepard herself got us this ship and I don’t want to explain to her how all of you managed to damage it when she was kind enough to give you all jobs!” he took a breath and continued in his usual stern and to the point voice that he had gained as a marine. “We will make every mission she sends our way. ARE. WE. CLEAR?!”  
            “Crystal, Sir!” spoke the only human female on the ship. She was wearing her full armor, helmet in her hands behind her back. The N7 Shadow, Adeline Green. Short for a human female, all power and agility despite the short stature; that soft feminine face held behind it the instincts and knowhow of a trained and experienced soldier who could handle anything on her own. She’d volunteered for the mission, Hackett the closest thing she had to family had brought it up that Shepard wanted another team out there; she’d volunteered to make him proud and do her duty. Plus it was a chance to get out there and put a dent in the reapers, show them just what humans could do.  
            He turned his head and looked at her, not the captain, the turian. Green eyes observed the female human and internally nodded in appreciation that there was someone else here who seemed to have the respect for military standard. “Sir, Yes Sir.” He said strongly, dual tones ringing from his throat. His attention discretely back on the human female; from what he could see at this angle she was pretty plain, not that he knew much about humans, and even less about their females. Slowly he turned his gaze away and went back to listening. He was beginning to like that he’d been picked to be sent here, wasn’t as bad as he thought it’d be so far.  
            “Due to the fact this ship only had five rooms and no bunks, I need two sets of volunteers to share!” he told them, no surprise when the Asari sisters volunteered to share. Okay, that was easy, now for the other set.  
            “I don’t mind sharing, Sir” spoke the Shadow as she kept her gaze forward, gold eyes unmoving as she waited.  
            “I’ll share with you hotcakes” leered the Human male as he leaned forward to look at her, not even bothering to hide the fact he was checking her out.  
            Kal’Reegar was about to speak before the Shadow did, “Permission to speak freely Sir?”  
            “Permission Granted.”  
            “With all due respect Mr. Evans… Not even if you were the last male of our species” she growled out. The clutch on her helmet tightening as she said it, it was taking her a lot of control to not throw it at him.  
            Kal’Reegar tried and failed to hold in his chuckle. “Okay, anyone else?”  
            “I don’t mind Sir.” said the Turian as he nodded his head. “If you have no complaints…” he then added looking at the shadow to the right and in front of him.  
            The Shadow nodded and then went back to silence. Okay, she didn’t mind sharing with an alien, good, meant she wasn’t racist. Kal’Reegar could work with this; these two weren’t going to give him trouble.

 

            After basic introductions, and the speech of the Captain, Adeline made a beeline for the room she was assigned. Happy enough that it was an observation deck, she loved stars. The room wasn’t large, but it was just fine, two simple beds, and she was sure if she needed to she could hang a curtain on her side for a little privacy. However she doubted she’d have issues with her Turian bunk mate, he was a soldier, plus they were different species… he’d probably feel the same.  
            Vertian walked into the room and went straight for the opposite side she was on. Throwing his pack onto the bed he then dropped onto it and laid down. A heavy sigh escaped his chest as he relaxed mildly. Okay, his armor was heavy, and felt even heavier today for some reason. It was probably just the fact that he hadn’t slept in a couple days and had been traveling. Turning his head he was about to speak to his bunk-mate before he was just silent. He couldn’t help but smile as she started pulling some of the most girlish blankets he’d ever seen and a mattress pad. How she put a tiny silver dish on her bedside, and a couple pictures of what he believed had to be places she wanted to go. She was sentimental… that was cute.


	2. Noticed

 “I’M UNDER FIRE!” screamed Vertian as he crouched behind cover and popped in his last heat sink. This really sucked. Reapers were one thing, they weren’t all that smart. Collectors? They were smart, and they were a pain in the ass.  
            “CAN ANYONE GET HIM OUT OF THERE?!” screamed Kal’Reegar as he riddled one full of holes. “Pelacis? You still alive?”  
            “For now!” the turian shouted as he pulled a collector down by the face and then beat it in with his gun.  
            “I got him!” Adeline called as she uncloaked next to him, handing him her heat sinks and waving her omni-tool over him, checking him out regardless. “You okay?” she asked.  
            “Yeah, now I am.” He panted as he watched her, “I thought I was done for”  
            “That’d be a shame…” she said softly, before darkening the screen on her helmet again and cloaking; only to appear behind a Scion and slicing it in half. She was strong, stronger than she looked. Small, delicate, feminine… Vertian didn’t know how she held back all that power but it wasn’t the first time he’d seen her unleash it and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. He smirked and laughed under his breath, having heard her words, so it would be a shame if he was gone?  
            Vertian never considered himself particularly desirable. Sure he’d had a couple flings, one long term relationship he’d been sure would go somewhere… it hadn’t. However even he couldn’t help but notice how the N7 was always watching. He didn’t know why, but part of him found that he was hoping it was because she liked him.  
            Adeline was sweet, if not incredibly awkward and shy, however she was sweet. He’d watched her more than once tend to someone on the field, and she was always the first one rushing to aid someone. In her off duty time he often found her in the medical bay, or room really, of the ship. He noticed she had an issue with mess as well, multiple times he’d found his under-suit folded on his bed instead of thrown into a corner somewhere until he’d get off his ass and wash it. It wasn’t his fault he sweated, his armor was heavy as hell, and his particular class tended to use a lot of muscle to just get off the ground.  
            More than once he’d gotten up in the middle of the night to use the head, only to find her furiously scrubbing away at whatever dishes were left on the counters and sink. She’d mutter angrily about how everyone here was absolutely disgusting, and then he’d smirk at how she’d touch her head to calm down and end up with suds there.  
            When she actually did rest, he typically found her asleep, inside some doer of ball of blankets and snoring. That he couldn’t help but actually chuckle at as he went to his side of the bunk and fell back into his bed to keep resting. If he wasn’t working out or tinkering with the crews weaponry, he was in his bed with his feet up and shirtless. Because why not?  
  
            Her squeal of pain was what brought him from his thoughts as he mindlessly handed out headshots. A Praetorian had hit her with its lasers and now he saw she was crawling into cover slower than he liked. “Green! You okay?!” he called into his com.  
            “Green’s Down?!” asked Kal’Reegar in a panic. Shit, she was the only one he could constantly depend on to be able to cover the entire field. Her stealth was unmatched.  
            “Yo! Green need a hero!?” asked their resident Vanguard, Eric Evans. As much as he was usually an ass to her, completely crude and inappropriate, his voice sounded concerned.  
            “My shields are shot and I think it burned right through part of my suit!” came Adeline’s voice through the com before there was a grunt. Vertian watched as what he thought was her helmet was chucked from her cover and hit the Praetorian in the “face”. He smirked, _that’s my tough girl_ he thought, before shaking his head. Since when was she his anything?  
            “I see her!” called one of the Asari girls. He stood and made a sprint for it, then with the master precision he was trained for, his body slammed into the Praetorian and sent it backwards and over a ledge.  
            “Get to Addie!” screamed yet again one of the Asari twins. This one he believed was called Kala, her sister was Eiru. As badass bitches as they were, he knew that they were kind of close to Adeline, since she had been the one to save Kala when Eiru was pinned.  
            “On it!” he called as he launched himself and rolled into her cover. He made his view screen clear for her to see his face; only to freeze a little at seeing her.  
            Originally he’d thought she was plain, that first day, maybe it was because he didn’t know her then, maybe it had been the fact he could only see part of her face. He’d never actually looked at her face since, considering they were kind of busy not dying in a war.  
            However, watching her panting with strands of her funny fringe falling in her face, those strangely large golden eyes watching him, how her skin was flushed and she looked mad as hell. He had to stop himself from rumbling at the sight with _major_ appreciation. Plain was not a word he would ever use in a thought about her again.  
            Shaking his head he winced internally as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Sorry, how bad is it?!” he asked.  
            She grit her teeth as she turned for him, the entire back of her suit was melted together and her skin had to be burning, it didn’t look good. “Give me some medigel!” she snarled at him, probably more from the pain.  
            He merely complied, hooking his last canister with her unit. She then typed on her tool and in seconds she was sighing. “Is this going to fix you completely?” he asked.  
            “No, but it’s going to relieve the pain long enough for me to eradicate ever last thing here” she snarled as she reached behind her and pulled something black from her weapons mount. She jammed the end of her sword onto it before looking at him. “Tell them to clear out”  
            “Uhh… no” he told her, “I’m not leaving you here alone to do whatever the hell you want. We’re in this together Shadow.” He snipped at her.  
            “Fine, but don’t be mad when you get knocked on your ass lead head” she snarled before taking a deep breath and moving from cover.  
            Vertian knew she was tough, he knew she was strong, he knew she was formidable. However he wasn’t ready for the scene he watched. The black tube thing she’d gotten, it was an extender and amp for her sword. Watching her swing that long blade and stave had him sighing to himself in awe. The way she moved and then sliced right through the Praetorian had him mildly weak in the knees. He was completely unprepared for the massive shock wave her slamming the weapon onto the ground caused, and as she had said. He was knocked back on his ass.

“Addie!” cried one of the twins; he still couldn’t tell which was which by voice. With a groan he looked up to see her trying to walk on jelly like legs and blood dripping from her mouth. Seconds and he had literally flown to her side and caught her.  
            “The fuck did you do to yourself?!”  
            “Not biotic, have to get energy for that attack somewhere.” She wheezed as he scooped her up and began to sprint for the shuttle. “Use electrical pulses from body…” she coughed.  
            “Shit! You are crazy!” he gaped at her as he jumped from the upper ledge and landed by the shuttle. Kal’Reegar was already there, he bounded over.  
            “I’ll live, just… need…” she then drifted as her Turian savior rested her on the ground of the shuttle.  
            He yanked off his helmet and looked at her. “Anyone got medigel!?” he asked his voice a little more panicked than he wanted to admit it was.  
            Prax, their Krogan juggernaut, threw him his supply. Vertian didn’t even notice as he did his best to deliver first aid that the shuttle was taking off. Soon he could get her into medical and hopefully someone knew something about medicine.

Mr. Kreps walked from the medical room looking tired. He was a very old Drell, the color of his scales faded. He looked at the group there before smirking. “Well, Mr. Kal, It seems your group is a little attached to each other.”  
            “Looks like it, so what’s going on?” Kal’Reegar ordered as he stood with his arms crossed, he had his omni-tool ready in case they needed to rush to somewhere with a hospital. His voice was flat and taught, he didn’t even want to listen to the drell talk about this. The Twins were holding each other tearing and he swore Vertian was more silent than usual. even Palthak, their Batarian Brawler was lurking just around the corner, listening.  
            “She’s fine” Mr. Krep looked at Vertian as he heard the turian ever so slightly sigh, “Needs some rest, but she is must be well aware of what this sort of thing does to her. She’s got biological modification for accelerated healing. Anyone without these sort of body mods would probably be dead or in intensive care at best.”  
            “Okay, good, how long?” asked the captain of the small ship.  
            “She should be fine in a day or two, she heals incredibly fast. Sleeping? It cuts that time nearly in half” explained the man who was both pilot and medic.  
            “Pelacis?”  
            “Yes, Sir?”  
            “Think you can take your bunk mate to her bed? She’ll probably be more comfortable in there”  
            Vertian responded quickly by gently pushing past Mr. Kreps and into the room. Adeline was out cold on her stomach, a blanket covering her rear but her back was bare. Carefully he tucked the blanket around her and picked her up bridal style. He didn’t want to admit to himself that he was kind of enjoying doing this, but he was. He was becoming increasingly aware that he had developed feelings well beyond noticing her.


	3. Partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's starting

            Adeline slept soundly for the most part. Occasionally she would wake up and try to pull herself from bed, grunting. Only to have her giant turian bunk mate pick her up and plop her back onto the mattress. The eons of patience he had for her was commendable, especially since she was cranky as all hell, her body drained of energy from healing. She didn’t take care of herself, maybe an hour a night of sleep before she was up again and doing something.   
            Vertian? If he could get away with it he did nothing. He would literally stay all day in his bunk or in a lounge chair in the common room reading or watching vids. That was his idea of resting. Not that he didn’t do what was required of him, he met what he had to do to impeccable standards, and then once his tasks were done he was done. He wasn’t Adeline who would start doing laundry or dishes or checking supplies, all things that the others should have been helping to do… but why do it when they could always count on their resident doormat?  
            “Look, can someone just pick up and do the dishes? Adeline isn’t going to be up for a while because she is literally catching up on three weeks of no sleep and won’t start healing her back until then.” He sighed, his hand rubbing his right temple as he leaned against the kitchen counter, in fatigues and barefoot, per usual.   
            “No, just let it all go until the fucking pyjack is up again” said Prax as he leaned back in a chair. The adolescent Krogan was giving the most lip; everyone else was at least trying to come up with valid excuses.   
            “One, her name is Adeline not “fucking pyjack”. Two, if I remember correctly, when you were pinned under that brute who was the one who instantly ran to your aid and beheaded it?” bit Vertian as he glared at the Krogan with his bright eyes. “She does all this on her own daily guys; we can handle it for a week. She’s already trying to keep going on missions. Please”   
            “We can do the dishes and laundry” finally said Kala as she looked at her sister Eiru, the other Asari nodded. “But you’re washing your own under armor Vertian! We don’t know how she does it, and your clothes reek after combat.”   
            The turian glared at them too before he sighed and rubbed his neck. “Fine, I can take over the medbay. I’ll also handle checking our stocks and ordering.” He stopped and looked at the list of things that Adeline handled routinely. “Evans? Can you handle general maintenance?”   
            “Sure, as long as hotcakes gives up some sugar when she’s better.” He sneered, taking a long drag from his cigarette. Evans was a man in his late thirties, reasonably well built, his skin was pasty pale, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Vertian narrowed his eyes at him and looked him over once more. Yep, he could see why Adeline wasn’t the least bit attracted.   
            “You’ll do it because Captain Kal told me to handle all this so that makes me in charge. I didn’t want to pull rank with all of you, but if you’re going to act like this” he sighed. He was about to lose some of his patience before he heard a rustle and looked up. Adeline was standing in the entrance to the hall.   
            She didn’t look good, her cheeks gaunt, dark, very dark circles under her eyes, her face looking like she wanted to cry. She even smelled sick and weak. She must’ve been there awhile, since Adeline never let anyone hear her unless she wanted them to. Her honey yellow eyes looked at Vertian, almost pleading with him. Something was up.   
            “I’ll be right back” he growled at the rest of the crew. Walking over to her he leaned down, “Adeline, what’s wrong.”   
            “Don’t trouble them, I can still do it all” she nearly whined to him. The look he got on his face must’ve scared her as she reeled her head back from his slowly. He sighed and pinched his nose bridge.   
            “Adeline, no, you’re not going to heal if you don’t rest. Mr. Kreps said so. Was he wrong?” asked Vertian as he eyed her. She looked at her eyes, large eyes watery, and shook her head. “We need you, we need you back at healthy. So please, let me make them help out.”   
            She looked at him and sniffled a little, oh how he wanted to give in and just make her go back to resting and he would do it all. However he knew he would end up getting angry and breaking something. “Addie… please?”   
            She gave a look like she didn’t want to budge and whined a little. He leaned over her and sighed, “For me? As a personal favor to me? Will you go back and rest so I can handle this?” he didn’t like having to bargain with people; luckily it wasn’t so bad with Adeline. She just cared so much about everyone and wanted things to go smoothly. It tugged at his heart a little how hard she worked, especially for a bunch of ungrateful pustules like them.   
            “Pelacis… I just, they’re already doing a lot by fighting.” She answered while looking at her hands, “I can do it, I’m used to it… I always got stuck with this sort of thing. I’m an N7 ranked soldier… and I end up always doing all the upkeep” she lightly laughed while wiping a tear from her cheek.   
            Vertian bumped his forehead against the wall he was partially leaning on. When he heard whispers he looked around to see the Asari twins and Prax darting back to where they had been. Rolling his eyes he tucked the datapad into the back of his pants and picked up his bunk mate. Who gripped his shirt and gasped.   
            “I can walk!”   
            “Whatever, and you can call me Vertian. You’re technically ranked above me on this ship. If anyone is X.O. it’s you” he said as he walked into their bunk and dropped her on her bed. “Rest, I can handle this. I took out a group of brutes on my own remember?”   
            Adeline looked up at him from her bunk scowling, “Stop treating me like I’m made of glass!”   
            “I don’t!”   
            “You’re always carrying me!”   
            “So what? You’re not glass, just go back to sleep. I’ll bring you so food later. Get better so I have my partner back on the field again”   
            Adeline looked at him wide eyed, “Partner?”   
            Shit, had he said that out loud? “Yeah, Partner… we always work together, we’re good as a team. Both of us have long and short range capabilities, and we can cover every function on our own if we’re together.” He explained. He was hoping his quick cover for that worked, rather than letting her know he actually just liked it when she was close by, especially on the rare occasions he had to drag her into cover and he’d get to hold her against him for a bit. Nope, he would never admit that.   
            She seemed to have bought it. “Oh… okay” she said while looking away. “Okay, I’ll rest” she added after a few moments of awkward silence. Slipping under her covers and turning towards the window she was against.   
            Vertian sighed, “Good. Rest well” he added before he basically bolted out the door. Outside he leaned against the wall and panted.   
            _Fuck… what the hell is wrong with you? She’s a squishy little human who could probably dismantle you in seconds, and you’re sitting there doting over her like she’s some sort of weak female? Grow a pair buddy!_ He thought to himself as he sighed and the stood at full height. Time to get the rest of the crew going, if it was the last thing he did, he was going to lighten her work load.

            Adeline hugged the covers to her chest, staring out into space with a stupid grin and a bright blush. Vertian actually liked having her close to him, he wouldn’t say that out loud, but now she knew for sure that when he wandered into whatever room she was in and sat down, it was because he wanted to be close to her and not just coincidence. Being a soldier she knew she shouldn’t be growing crushes for anyone, but how could she not when such a sweet guy was on board and always so nice to her? She wondered if he liked sweets… and if she could even make dextro based sweets as she drifted off.


	4. Possesive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gotta have a character you just want to hate. Gotta have some friction, and not the good kind.

_I hate you…_  
_I hate you…_  
_I really fucking hate you…_

   
            That’s the mantra that was running through Vertian’s head as he sat behind cover with Evans. Captain had put them on ambush duty while they were intercepting a Cerberus delivery. This meant that he was away from Adeline, who was somewhere below with her rifle and taking the long range war to them. That meant that Adeline was not with him, and that meant that he was not a happy camper.  
            He was used to her presence, he was accustomed to the peaceful silence between them, and he liked how they could communicate through mere looks and mild gestures. He wasn’t used to how Evans was looking through his scope and checking out their female team mates, he was not accustomed to Evans constant chatter, and he did not like how Evans was talking about Adeline.  
            “Mmmm, the things I would do to that body” he hummed to himself. Vertian, who was actually looking for things of use through his scope, moved ever so slightly and caught a glimpse of what Evans meant. Adeline stretching up, her long thin waist flaring into her wider and oh so appealing hips; while he didn’t like Evans ogling his partner (there he went again with the possessiveness… he really should stop that) he was watching the sight and embedding it into his memory. She wasn’t turian shaped, but he found himself appreciative none the less, it was Adeline… how could he not?  
            At this point he knew he liked her, two months into working together constantly, and he found himself almost always seeking her presence around him. If only he could find an excuse to do thing with her, not sexual things… but somehow introduce her to his favorite band, watch some vids he liked… learn the same things about her. It was comfortable, being silent together in the same room, he found he could easily drift off while she was folding laundry and he was sitting next to her in a chair, his feet up on the table.  
            It was now a joke that wherever one was, you could find the other. He’d noticed too how Adeline would sit in the shuttle bay and work on a mobile terminal unit, datapads stacked next to her while he worked out or worked on guns. He liked it, the sound of her typing away while he cleaned parts or did crunches. He liked that she could tell he didn’t really like being alone all that much, but didn’t want conversation either. The times at night when she would bring him a cup of kava and just sit on the bench next to him, all curled up, he loved those moments. The only thing he could hear was the sounds of his hands and the parts he was working on, and the sound of her breathing and just keeping him company. She made all this a little more bearable to him.  
            Being in a war was hard for everyone, Vertian knew this. However it didn’t stop the fear and worry that was nearly constant in his chest. Having Adeline around made something seem stable, like he could always count on her to be there. So far he had been able to, every ounce of danger that he came across, if it was too much, she was suddenly right there beside him. If that wasn’t something to develop affection for, dependability and comfort, he didn’t know what was.

            “Bend her over the crates; give it to her like she knows she wants it. Hot little nubile body writhing as she begs.” Snickered Evans as he talked mostly to himself, though a small part of it was testing to see how much the turian next to him could take.  
            “Begging for what?” asked Vertian as he tried to keep his voice from growling, he had such the urge to beat the vanguard’s head in.  
            “Doesn’t matter, more, to stop, I don’t care as long as she’s begging and takes it. Though she seems like the type where she’ll beg to stop and keep telling me no, but her pussy will want more.”  
            Vertian grabbed his gun a little tighter and took a deep breath, “Don’t talk about her like that.” He finally got out. Hiding the anger wasn’t working right then though.  
            “What? You want to get your dick wet too? Got a human fetish?” sneered Evans as he turned his head to the turian, “Or you just have a nice little crush on the good girl?”  
            “I have the good idea to crush your skull under my boot” snarled Vertian as he grabbed the front of Evan’s armor and thumped him hard against the ground. “No one will miss you, no one will even suspect it’s me.”  
            “Getting territorial? Already banged the little bitch? What is she yours?” Evans laughed as he held the turian’s wrist. “We both know you have a soft spot for her, everyone can tell. The way you look at her when she isn’t looking. How you always speak softly to her while you nearly bark at the rest of us” he grunted as Vertian thumped him again. “How does it feel? To know that some other man is going to destroy that cute little cunt?”  
            Vertian growled, low and warningly in his chest. He was about to break the man’s neck before as if on cue, Adeline’s voice came through the com. “Vertian? Are you alright?”  
            “I’m fine” he said, a little more harshly than he meant.  
            “Oh, well we were talking about the Blasto series, I noticed you had a Blasto sticker on your bag, I thought maybe you would like in on this conversation”  
            Vertian got up and shoved Evans away from him. Fuck orders to stay with the man, he wasn’t going to be able to take it and not kill him. “I’ll be right there” he said before looking at the human. “You go near her, and I will personally end you. It will be slow, painful, and you’ll see a real monster” he swore before jumping over some crates and onto the lower level.  
            Evans stood panting, that had shaken him a bit. Who wouldn’t be terrified of a seven foot eight powerhouse turian? He however caught his breath and just laughed, that kid had no idea.

            Vertian was still angry, he’d ripped apart more Cerberus men than he wanted to count. Now panting he sat behind a crate and took cover. Anger didn’t sit well with him, not this sort of territorial rage he was feeling, his mind was so absorbed in it he didn’t even notice that Adeline had come to his side. Not until she touched him and he jumped moving to punch her, she caught his wrist however with expert technique and eyed him.  
            He panted as he dropped his arm and she removed her helmet. “What’s wrong? You’re never this worked up”  
            “Nothing.”  
            “It’s not nothing, tell me…” she said gently. Her voice the only thing clear to him right now, he took off his own helmet and sighed; just looking at her with his mandibles pulled tight.  
            “Would you want to see a movie with me? Tonight? When this is over?” he asked. He didn’t want to tell her what Evans had been saying, and he didn’t want to tell her how he’d reacted to it.  
            Adeline looked at him with wide eyes, surprised. Before she smiled and leaned in closer to him. “Sure, as long as you’ll tell me what’s really bothering you after.”  
            Vertian sighed and smirked, she was too good at reading people to buy that. “Okay…” he conceded.  
            She grinned at him, before coming in closer and up to his aural canal. “If it’s about Evans, ignore him. I already fancy someone, and he’s not a human.” She whispered before pressing her lips to his mandible and then pulling back.  
            Vertian looked at her, gaping, if his hide were lighter it would be flushing blue. He felt his heart lighten as she giggled at him and put her helmet back on, cloaking and then disappearing. He sat there for a moment, mildly stunned before he just let out a few breathy laughs and put his own helmet back on. Now it was time to get back to work, and try not to keep purring in his chest. 


	5. Vid and Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cuteness

            Adeline couldn’t help but wear a stupid grin on her face in the shuttle back to the Aurora. Occasionally she would glance up at Vertian who was purring lowly in his chest and looking down at her with what she assumed was a similar type of look. She was right.   
            No one had ever asked her to do something fun before, let alone something that was a little like a date. In all her years, she’d never been actually courted, and if this was what courting felt like she loved it. Someone being nice, not staring at her defining feminine features, just enjoying her company; plus it was nice that the one interested in her was a massive love bucket of a Turian.   
            She knew of Evan’s “interest” if one could even call it that. He wasn’t a subtle man, nor was he a very bright one. She would have thought the several ass-kickings she’d dealt him would have deterred him by now. No, instead it just made him more aggressive with her. Sooner or later she wasn’t going to be able to keep their obnoxious encounters so secret, especially from what she thought (and hoped) that Vertian could turn into.   
            Vertian let out a small chuckle and Adeline blushed, looking away from him while biting her lip. Even though they had been told to be on opposite ends of the field today, they’d somehow ended up together anyways.   
            She’d been stuck dancing with a Phantom, which was a difficult task in and of itself. Those bitches were flexible that even Adeline had a little trouble dodging every attack. She didn’t even see the Dagoon run up and start wailing on her with those damned whips. Lucky for her, her turian savior blind-sided the Dagoon and they were able to once again gain some footing, the mission was completed… and now they were heading back to “home”.

            Adeline like usual, headed right to the women’s restroom with Kala and Eiru. As much as she wanted to see that plated body, she wasn’t about to push her luck. Taking off her skin tight catsuit she threw it into her basket, her helmet hanging on the hook above it.   
            “Did you hear him purring? He was over the moon!” laughed Eiru as she draped her naked blue body over Adeline and smiled. “Whatever you did to him, he’s a happy guy. Was it a blowie?”   
            “Eiru!” gasped Kala while she stepped under the water, the silence lasted barely a moment before she turned around, “How big was it? He’s huge! You couldn’t even get your hand around it right?”   
            “God help me!” whined Adeline as she hid her now crimson face in her hands. Great, now all she was going to be doing was sitting awkwardly and doing her best not to wonder what a turian penis looked like.   
            “No! Goddess Bless you!” chimed the girls. “Vertian is a very attractive guy Addie, you’re so lucky. We’ve been trying to coax him to blow off steam with us for weeks!” Kala giggled.   
            “I beg your pardon?!” asked Adeline as she stood shocked. “I did no such thing! He just asked me to watch a vid with him, and I was worried that Evans had said something bad to him.”   
            “Evans isn’t bad either, even if he takes a bit to get going for every round after the first” shrugged Eiru, “You have to fuck someone, it’s like a thing!”   
            “Maybe for Asari, but I’m Human Alliance remember? Fraternization is strictly against regulations!” Adeline sighed as she finished with her shower and went for her towel.   
            “Boring” chimed both girls as they then looked at each other and laughed, “Oh well! Have fun! Remember to not swallow!”   
            Adeline choked on her drink of water as she was told that. Did watching vids together actually mean… oh gods… she wasn’t so sure if she could do this anymore.

 

            “Hey” chirruped Vertian as Adeline walked in wearing her fatigues. He was wearing his usual, the same. He’d somehow managed to set up a small place to sit in front of her mobile terminal. “I uh… I thought it would be more comfortable to watching it on your…” he drifted off and rubbed the back of his neck while looking away from her. Why did she have to be so cute?  
            Adeline looked at the terminal before she jumped and put her hands up, had she seemed upset? “No! You’re right, probably a lot easier than off your ‘tool too” she smiled. Blushing again as she held herself and stood there nervously.   
            Vertian chuckled under his breath before he looked around, why was she so nervous? He knew she was awkward, especially when it came to being social; however he had thought that she was comfortable enough to do something with him that didn’t involve talking. Unless… she had been thinking of something else that didn’t involve much talking. At that he stood straight and went wide eyed. His mandibles pulled tightly to his face as he looked at her.   
            He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t ever entertained the thought. However, he wasn’t someone who just jumped into that sort of thing, even to just relax, he preferred to spar or work out to burn off emotional drudge. He of course had developed a couple understandings with a few female soldiers in his time where he and they would seek each other out to blow off steam. Once he’d even seriously started dating one… but Adeline? He couldn’t, not like that.   
            “Um, if you’re not comfortable… doing this sort of thing with me…” he started, he had no idea what to think anymore, if this was still just doing something a little fun and social together, or if she really wanted to “blow off steam” with him.   
            “Oh! No! No, I want to see the movie” she smiled nervously as she looked at her hands. “I mean if you still want to that is! I wouldn’t want you to do anything that you didn’t, or felt you had to. I mean only if you really want to, and then I can do it, I just… need some guidance.”   
            Vertian was drawing blanks now, “Guidance on how to watch a movie? Well, you kind of just get comfortable, and then… watch?” he asked. He was desperately hoping she was still talking about the movie and not sex.   
            She snapped her head up to look at him and went wide eyed, “You… need me to watch?” she asked. The way her face flushed then had Vertian torn between actually trying to get there with her, or saving her heart and going with his original plan of just a movie.   
            “Okay, Um... I don’t know what you were thinking I meant by a movie… but I really do mean a movie, like a Vid” he finally got out. The amount she relaxed then made him smile. “Sorry if I made it confusing, as to what my intentions were”   
            “No! blame the Asari” she laughed, there was a moment of awkward silence before she tilted her head and looked up at him. Vertian felt himself melt as that soft smile came across her face. She may be human, but he thought she was the cutest damned thing ever.   
            “Will do” he sighed as he turned off the light in their room and then walked over to the seating area he had made, between his and her stuff. One side all floral sheets and silk, the other… grey standard turian military cotton and his special pillows.

            He’d picked the fifth Blasto movie, which was a good choice he thought, since it was well rounded with everything from action to terror. He didn’t even notice how they’d ended up until the movie was rolling the credits.   
            She was on his side, her head on his shoulder and nibbling her thumb as she watched, her blankets over the two of them. He vaguely remembered her shoving one of her pillows under his back for his carapace. He didn’t remember resting his hand on her arm, and remembered even less when he started holding her into his side. Now that the movie was over, he was acutely aware of all this, and mildly nervous.   
            Adeline got up and turned off the film, shutting her terminal. He had been sure she was going to sit away; instead he was pleasantly surprised to find that she came right back to his side and snuggled in closer. Now it was dark, the only light was from the other side of the thick glass they were facing, the stars out there.   
            “That was good.” She smiled as she looked up at him. “Thanks for asking me to join you for this”   
            “Anytime” he grinned. He then moved to let her go, but stopped as he felt her hand on his chest.   
            Her eyes were wide, reflecting the stars, and begging him to stay. He couldn’t bring himself to move then and settled back down as she nestled into him and got comfortable again.   
            “Thank you”   
            “No problem”   
            “It means a lot… sometimes it’s hard… knowing that there is so much going on”   
            “Yeah, I understand.”   
            Adeline softly fiddled with his dog tags, and he found himself relaxing more than he had in years. The softness of her, how she smelled, it was all very new and different. However it was welcomed, more than he thought he would. Adeline gave him the solid feeling that he craved, and apparently he gave her some form of comfort as well.   
            He could get used to this, a soft small human that smelled so good tucked into his side as he started to drift off. The way her cheek felt on his shoulder was not a feeling he was used to, as cuddling wasn’t a turian thing. He’d only ever done similar things with the one woman he had had the relationship with. He hadn’t enjoyed it nearly as much then. Then it was after hard sex where they were panting and catching their breath. Now, it was just him and Adeline toeing the line as to what was going on between them. He still had no clue what was happening really, only that he had now firmly decided Evans was only getting near her over his cold dead body.


	6. Affections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> waking up in the arms of a turian never felt so good.

            Turians were probably the scariest looking sentient beings in existence, at least that’s what she’d heard all through her time in training. The horror stories she would hear from the older soldiers, from the time of the first contact war. How turians were stronger, meaner, faster, and probably just a hint _smarter_ ; it was like they were meant to eat humans. Which Adeline had believed until she actually met her first Turian. A frazzled elderly shopkeeper, he hadn’t been all that kind, but when she offered her assistance for the day, he had been thankful. She’d been on her first shore-leave to the Citadel. He’d been kind of scary, but she didn’t feel a need to avoid him like the rest of her group had.   
            To think now she was resting on the floor in the arms of one, no one would have guessed. She’d always been an early riser, which just got ingrained further when she started biting off more than she could chew with task work. However, she couldn’t bring herself to pull from Vertian’s grip last night after he had drifted off, and she couldn’t bring herself to this morning. Not with how warm his carapace was under her face, and how comfortable he was surprisingly.   
            She missed her soft mattress pad under her hip, but the warmth she felt being curled into him was the best feeling she’d ever had. She always got cold easily, sometimes to the point she lost feeling in her fingers and toes. She was here however, held firmly to him by those large alien arms. She smiled as she felt his mandibles move in his sleep, she knew her hair was caught on one of the edges, he’d been nuzzling into her hair for a few hours now, that’s how she’d woken up. Surprisingly, waking up to a big guy like him pretty much clinging to her wasn’t alarming in the slightest. She’d woken up, blinked a few times, heard him rumble in his chest as he slept and then just settled to wake up slowly.   
            He was such an amazing guy, at least that’s what Adeline thought as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest. Vertian was one of the best damn soldiers she’d ever met; he was kind and gentle, efficient, as well as talented. She remembered watching him their first time on a mission together. How easily he had torn through that Cerberus defense line, she’d been in awe. How he had rallied the crew to pick up the slack after she’d been injured, he cared so much… it made her just crush harder and harder. Before long she’d known how much she liked him, as more than a battle partner, she liked him as a man.   
            Grinning she blushed and turned burying her face into his neck and hugged him tightly. Oh, he had her wrapped around his talons she was so head over heels for him. Or at least she was assuming she was, it was a different type of affection than those she’d felt previously. It didn’t feel empty, or as if she was the only one holding any feelings. She saw the way his green eyes would light up when he looked at her and it only made her emotional heart grow warm.   
            His rumble turned into a purr before he shifted and pulled her tighter against him. Adeline snuggled in closer; now flush against the giant warm body. It was true, nothing felt better than this, she was sure of it, not even a stim after three days of running on fumes.

            It was a couple more hours until Vertian woke up, his eyes opened slowly and he looked towards his bed at his clock. He’d overslept, but then again, he had a good reason to. Finding that Adeline was still in his grip when he woke up made him happier than he wanted to admit. The fact he was still groggy didn’t help him try and hide the purring in his throat and chest either, he knew she could both hear and _feel_ it by her small laugh and the way she nuzzled into his throat. Finally he chuckled sleepily at her affections. “Morning”   
            “Good morning, sleep well?” She asked as she traced at the lines of his chest plates under his shirt.   
            “Surprisingly… yes” he admitted to her. No sense in lying to her, no sense in hiding the fact that he held very deep feelings for her that he didn’t fully comprehend and had no desire to. All he found himself wanting was this feeling to continue, to never wane or die. It was so comforting, on so many levels.   
            “I’m glad.” She smiled as she pressed her mouth to his throat, light kisses gifted to him by her lips at the soft hide.   
            He tensed slightly, before relaxing as she did it again, over and over. Soon the rumbling returned, only to go lower. “Might not want to do that…”   
            “Why?” she asked, wondering if she was upsetting him. The tone in her voice alerting him of her worries.   
            “Feels too good… if you get what I mean” he hinted. Her laughter made him huff as he felt her pull away slightly to look at him. What a sight that was, bright gold eyes, messy bed hair, her warm smile as the first face he saw… he could get used to that far too easily.   
            “Oh? Turians can see _appeal_ in a “Plain Jane” like me?” she asked.   
            “You are anything but plain, also I thought your name was Adeline?” he asked now slightly confused.   
            “It’s a saying, means I’m a plain looking girl, nothing great or pretty” she giggled. Looking back at him she just smiled sweetly as he looked at her, his gaze going soft.   
            “You aren’t “plain jane”. You’re the best damned thing I’ve ever woken up to.” He breathed out. He felt his heart give a firm thump as she smiled and tried to hide her face in her shoulder. Hesitantly he brought his hand up and caressed her face, his chest rumbling contently as she nuzzled into his hand. She wasn’t afraid of his talons, and that made him all the more confident as he stroked his thumb over her cheekbone, “Alluring Adeline”   
            “Smooth talker” she bubbled out as she held his hand to her face and turned her head, her lips making a suction on his palm that had him feel all the more like a melted pile of sweets for her. “You’re so sweet Vertian”   
            He chuffed at her affectionately, “Say it again?”   
            “What?”  
            “My name.”   
            She looked at him curiously before she giggled, a sound he found he liked very much, her gaze turning soft and filled with something he didn’t fully recognize. He only knew that that look had him paralyzed in her sight. “Vertian”   
            He hadn’t expected the sigh coming from him to sound so desperate. Hell, he hadn’t expected to feel a need for her to say his name. Gently he brought her face down, nuzzling his forehead against hers. Intimacy he hadn’t given so willingly to anyone before. She seemed to understand and shifted so she could lie against him.   
            “Again”   
            “Vertian” she breathed out for him. The next thing she did for him blew his mind. He had no idea that human mouths could feel so wonderful against his mouth plates. Nor had he any clue that her small soft human tongue would ever make his neck flush a shade more blue. Of course he’d seen Asari and Humans, Drell, as well as other “lipped” species kiss. However it had never occurred to him he could actually have a part in it. He liked it, A Lot.   
            Pulling away gently she rested her forehead against his, gold eyes meeting green and sharing the affectionate glimmering look. “Vertian”   
            “Adeline” he told her, his breath hitching as he started to purr at her. She giggled again as she nuzzled him with her nose. Oh yes, he could get used to this.


	7. Fine Flat Turian ...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i probably suck at writing porn... oh well!

            He’d never been so pissed, not once could he remember a time where he literally wanted to rip someone apart, watching them bleed and writhe in pain as they begged for their life at the mercy of his talons. He’d been angry in the past, he’d been furious before… he’d never been completely pissed off.   
            How dare that asshole touch his woman! How dare Evans even think that Adeline was even on the market? Couldn’t he smell that she basically reeked of him? Vertian, knowingly and shamelessly, had been all over the woman. They were going on their first bit of shore-leave, and he didn’t want anyone thinking that she was free. Not when he had a say in it, so what if she didn’t exactly _know_ he had been purposefully marking her with his scent. Okay, so she probably put the pieces together by how he would constantly come over to her rub his forehead all over her and lay on the affection thick. She didn’t protest though and even gave him one of those oh so cherished “kisses” that he loved.   
            He had been so angry at the fact that Evans had _touched_ her he didn’t even get to enjoy his drink with what was left of his old platoon. They’d called after him, but he couldn’t think of anything, all he saw was red. Thus, to avoid getting anyone into trouble, he just came back to the Aurora.   
            “Vertian?”   
            Fuck, Adeline? She had to be some sort of psychic. How did she always know when something was bothering him? Then again, even he could see that she had been watching him in the bar, not with any meaning; she just seemed to be enjoying the sight of him with his friends. Doing that while she half way kept an eye on Kala and Eiru, who were drunk and dancing with so many people.   
            “What?” he growled out, before internally scolding himself, it wasn’t her fault…  
            Adeline looked him up and down, “Don’t growl at me!” she then snarled. Her body bristling as he turned and looked at her, green fury meeting golden determination.   
            “How could you let him touch you?”  
            “How could I?” she asked sounding appalled. “I _let_ him touch me? Oh Vertian you may be handsome as holly hell but you’re as dumb as a box of hair if you think I would let _ANYONE_ do anything to me but you!”   
            “Sure didn’t look like you were resisting!” he snarled. Nope, she didn’t just tell him he was attractive, and she didn’t just tell he him could do things to her.   
            “Like I’m about to cause a scene over him!” she barked at him, walking over and punching him in the chest. He didn’t want to admit it but it hurt…  
            “Oh? It’s causing a scene telling another man to shove off?!”   
            “IT IS WHEN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AROUND YES!” she roared. He was a little shocked, why was she being so aggressive, the Adeline he knew and lo-liked was sweet.   
            She took a swing at him, connected to his jaw, then another to his chest, before he snarled and lunged. She didn’t stand a real chance against him; he was a lot bigger and more powerful. At least that’s what he had thought until she somehow slithered from his grasp and was landing hits all in his unprotected stomach. He was impressed but didn’t admit it, she hit harder, a lot harder, than he thought.   
            Finally he got her pinned, that was until she let this breathing moan out in his aural canal that had him frozen for a second. Taking her chance she kicked him off her, sending him back and into a pile of crates that lined the edges of the shuttle bay. He didn’t even get to blink before she was on him, and he felt his head start to cloud and his plates shift as her powerful thighs clamped down on his waist.   
            Oh he wanted her, and he got a strong whiff of how much she wanted him as she head-butted him and punched his chest again. He managed to get her off with a swipe to her face that she barely dodged.   
            She tried to run, only to have him catch her from behind. Now struggling on the floor he panted along with her as he tried to get her arms pinned. The roll of her ass into his plates had him growling before he held her arms down and rested his forehead on the cold floor next to her face. “Stop that”  
            “Stop what?” she hissed, before doing it again and he snarled, turning his head to look at her. He was almost completely out, and the fact that she was under him, her backside pressed tightly into his groin wasn’t helping.   
            “You did that on purpose didn’t you?” he groaned.   
            She smiled at him, “I did some research, fight or fuck right? To help you process all the stress?” she asked while her gold eyes clouded over. “I planned to just spar… but god help me, you smell amazing, so either get off me and we can continue this fight, or fuck me.”   
            She could smell him? Did she mean that he wanted her? Or the fact that he just smelled good to her in general? All thoughts on that matter left his head when he heard her say that. She wanted it… and who was he to pass up a chance to really claim her as his?

            The mildly coherent part of him was surprised just how strong she was, it was almost like fucking another turian. Almost, the way she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him had him dizzy as he shoved her up against the door, his length grinding into her core as he palmed at the access pad. That was different, and SPIRITS did he love it. He loved all of it, her tiny waist, the way her hips, thighs, and ass were so soft in his large hands. The way she moaned and ground against him when he nipped at her shoulder.   
            He found it even harder to keep control of his hands as she ripped open his shirt and shoved him back on her bed. He wasn’t even mildly embarrassed at the dual toned high pitched moan that came from his throat as she laved her tongue up his throat only to bite at his jugular. He was gone then, completely taken over by the need to make her his, his talons shredded at her pants and under clothes, and he would have been surprised at how fast she made work of the front of his pants.   
            Laying her back, he leaned down and kissed her (or mimicked it as best he could), one of his hands disappearing between her thighs and feeling at her. She was wet for him, and he wished he could understand that. However it only drove him to press his cock to her entrance, the heat coming from her made his head spin; one shove and he hilted himself in her.   
            The pained noise she made snapped him out of it, he looked at her as she panted, brows furrowed and eyes closed tightly. He shook his head, “Addie?” he asked, now worried he was hurting her, his left hand caressing her face as his right kept a firm grip on her hip.   
            “Big” she whimpered, however she opened her eyes and looked at him. her hand coming up to hold his to her face as she used her second to pull his head down to nuzzle her.   
            “Sorry” he breathed as he felt her squeeze him, he moaned and kissed her again, which she returned.   
            “Just give it a minute, been awhile for me, and you’re my first turian” she laughed lightly, a few pained tears rolling down her cheeks.   
            “I can pull out”  
            “No, just hold me while I get used to it” she wailed as he moved to pull away. He couldn’t refuse her then, not when he still wanted her and he knew she wanted him. Happily he obliged her, as much as he wanted to thrust in and out of her at a painful speed, he couldn’t bring himself to hurt her for his own needs.   
            Adeline held his shoulder’s tightly as she adjusted her hips, biting her lip as she felt the huge member in her shift. Finally she nodded and breathed into his shoulder, “Okay”   
            Slowly he pulled out of her, nearly all the way, before he shoved into her again, unable to keep much control as to the force. She was so tight, warm, and wet… it was very different from the feeling of inside a female of his species. He liked this, a lot more. The way she seemed to hold onto him with her insides, how he could feel every flex and flutter from inside her. Even the obscenely aroused wet noises from their mixed fluids had him getting lost in her.   
            At first she let out a few more pained sounds, before forcing his face to face her, her lips against his mouth and that small human tongue desperate for contact with his. Her hand found the sensitive spot under his fringe and he melted against her, his movements more forceful as he moved one of her legs to go over his elbow.   
            He wanted her, all of her; he wanted her to be ruined for anyone else. Adeline Green, his Adeline, his beautiful Adeline. He could spend eternity here, wrapped up in her, hearing her moans, whimpers, whispers, and pleas. He didn’t need much encouragement to continue, the feeling of the tip of him jammed against her cervix had him seeing stars. Moving his hands he shifted her hips she he could thrust harder, faster, with his forehead against hers and her lips spilling small sounds every time he hit the end of her.   
            He wanted to reach his peak, but he was determined to make sure she met it first. It was the least he owed her since he was pretty sure he’d hurt her with that sudden thrust. Turning his head he moved his mouth to her neck and bit at her gently, that’s when he felt it. She cried out as her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs shaking as her insides spasmed around him.   
            Gasping he finally could let go, his hips grinding against her furiously as he came, filling her insides with his seed. He thrust once more before relaxing and resting his forehead against hers.   
            “Hey” she breathed out as she panted, her chest heaving against his as she pressed the bridge of her nose against his.   
            “Hey” he whispered to her as he slid a hand over his beck and hugged her to him tightly. “Sorry… about…” He then sighed, unable to say it.   
            “Coming in me? Don’t be, it feels great” she lightly laughed while kissing him. The keen he made at her as she said it only made her laugh more before he just gave her a smirk and returned the affection. “Besides, you can’t get me pregnant”   
            “That’s true” he chuckled as he kissed her. How was it one person could make him feel so amazing? Like he was as light as air, and yet he felt completely safe and stable at the same time.  
            “Going to pull out of me anytime soon?” she asked after a few quiet moments, just looking at each other all smiles and petting.   
            “Do I have to? It’s kind of nice in you.” He smirked as he nipped at her lip. He did however get up on his knees and pull from her. Still hard he looked at her core, and his cock twitched. The sight of her all stretched out, his opalescent cum slowly flowing from her all but made him shove back into her and go for round two. “What will it take to convince you to go again?”   
            Adeline got up on her elbows and looked at him, she went wide eyed, “That was just in me?!” she gasped. He was huge, no wonder it’d hurt; the pale grey blue skin of his member slick with their juices, the tip now holding a small bead of precum. She wasn’t surprised it’d felt so great though, all those ridges.   
            “What?” he asked, a little shocked at her outburst. Before he remembered just the amount of size difference they had between them. “…sorry?”  
            Adeline gave him a sympathetic look, “No, don’t be.” she said as she moved to get on her knees but whimpered at the pain and fell back. “I enjoyed it a lot” she told him gently as he looked more and more worried. “Honey, please don’t look upset… you didn’t do anything wrong” she added as she reached for him.   
            He went to her, feeling a little better that she still wanted him near. However he felt a terrible for hurting her. “I’m sorry Adeline” he whispered to her as he pulled her into a tight hug, how could he forget something so important?   
            “Humans are stretchy, don’t worry about it, I’m just a little sore and I didn’t tear” she soothed as she pecked at his mouth plates. “I can go again in a moment.” She whispered in his ear.   
            He looked at her confused before hissing as she wrapped her hand around him, her thumb and middle finger unable to touch. “Spirits, baby that’s good” he breathed out as she gave him a few hard strokes.   
            “Trust me now?” she asked as he purred and licked her throat. “Get comfortable and turn off the lights” she laughed. Her arms pulling her shirt over her head before she leaned back. She could continue, especially if she got to feel him come undone all over again. His eagerness was adorable as well; she couldn’t help but grin at him as he quickly removed the rest of his clothes and then got up to turn off the light to their room and lock the door.   
            Adeline bit her lip and smiled, her turian boyfriend was amazing, handsome, cute, attentive… and she had to admit. She liked his fine flat turian ass a lot.


	8. Owned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did my best again, hope it's sufficient! new to porn writing. *humble apologetic bow*

            Laughing, that was never something he thought he would experience during sex. Especially when trying to figure out how a completely different species worked. However here he was, laughing and flushed blue in his neck as he smiled awkwardly at Adeline. He’d tripped over his own pants dashing back to her bed with her; at first he’d been worried that she would think he was an idiot for such a fledgling, and completely uncool, move. She’d just started laughing and crawled to the edge of the bed, smiling at him as she ran a hand over his fringe where he’d bonked it on the metal bedframe.   
            “You’re adorable” she hummed at him happily, the light in her eyes and her over all warmth had him staring at her for a moment in awe. That was until he remembered that she was good for a round two, and he for sure still was. Her giggles were infection though as he felt his own laughter bubbling up between the purring and affectionate chuffing at her. Hard not to when she was just smiling, her arms around his neck as he crawled on top of her, she had him feeling like a giddy teenager going through his first time all over again… without as much awkwardness and the female turian complaining that he didn’t know how to move.   
            No, Adeline was just as giddy and happy as he was. She kept the kisses flowing, smiling as he purred into her mouth and indulged himself in this human affection. While the Initial shock of just what had been in her had worn off, she now found herself craving it. She was craving him, all the sounds he made, the twitching of his muscles, and especially how he breathed out her name. She was his to play with and please him as much as he willed, willingly and happily so.   
            A Cheshire grin came across her face, “Honey?”   
            “Hmm?” he asked as he nipped at her neck and ran his hand up her side, his thumb stopping to roll the curious nub at the peak of the things called “breasts” on her chest. They weren’t as large as he’d seen on other species that had them, however the way her breath hitched as he continued his movements had him excited to play with them.   
            “Ever had Oral?” she asked, sighing as he moved his other hand to do the same. He was a curious fiend, and fast learner.   
            “No, turians’ mouths... teeth… not so keen on the idea of my cock being near that. Why?” he asked as he gripped her throat with his mouth and licked at her jugular, smirking as she whined and shivered under him.   
            “I don’t have sharp teeth” she managed to breathe out. Laughing nervously as he pulled his head back and looked at her, mildly surprised.   
            “Do… you want to?” he asked, struggling to hide his emotional cocktail of nervousness and excitement. This was something new, and she was right, her teeth weren’t basically flesh tearing needles. That small wet human tongue on him; he shivered slightly at the thought and felt his cock twitch.   
            “Yeah” she hummed at him as she took the chance to switch positions. He grunted as he landed uncomfortably, and she looked at him before getting up and rushing to his bed. He took the chance to watch her bend over and reach for his pillow. Okay, he could definitely appreciate her ass. She may not have big fat sacks on her chest (which according to Evans was her one flaw… he didn’t get it. They, and her, seemed perfect to him.) but the way her small waist curved into her wide hips and thick thighs, her ample behind… he was into it. He was _really_ into it, as strange as it was.   
            Turning she stopped as she caught him staring. He looked at her before smirking and leaning back, his arms going behind his head. He had been admiring and he wasn’t ashamed of that, not when the view was so spectacular. The way she blushed and smiled nervously had him purring again as she crawled back onto the bed, his hands back on her as soon as she was within reach. He paid little attention to the pillow shoved under his back to support him as she leaned in and he kissed her.   
            The human kissing thing, as strange and unhygienic as it probably was, he loved it. Being so close to her, it was intimate in a way he could only relate to how he rested the bridge of his nose against hers. It made his stomach flutter and his chest bubble with warmth, and judging by the way she looked at him between and after kisses; it did the same for her.   
            Her hand patting his chest softly let him know it was time for him to relax, with a deep breath he did so. His hands going back behind his head as he tried to hide the nervous flutter he felt in his stomach. She started slow however, kissing his mouth plates, moving to his neck and sucking at the hide there. That had gotten a needing sound from him before he looked at her, telling her without words how much he wanted her.   
            The feel of his chest under her hands pleased her in ways she didn’t understand. All the locking plates shifting as he breathed, the deep cool grey color occasionally breaking to reveal a deep murky brown grey instead. He was beautiful, so much more than she knew he gave himself credit for. Oh well, she was going to show him how perfect her was by worshipping every part of his body, especially the parts she found herself admiring the most.   
            His broad shoulders and strong back always had her admiring him. The few times she had seen his stomach before today had always made her breath hitch. She recently, as in just a few minutes ago, discovered how much she adored his hips and thighs. The corded muscles under her hands made her giddy, she knew just how powerful they were, and that had her going slick between her legs again.   
            He was her heart; however her second love was the absolutely _perfect_ cock he had been hiding from her. He had to pay for that sometime; she noted that for later to remember to torture him. As much as it had hurt ramming into her that first time, she quickly found pleasure in it. Okay so it was the fact that it was Vertian and not really his dick, but how sexy was that to think about? Not as much as she wanted it to be. That thought didn’t get her loins igniting; it just made her want to nuzzle him. So back to her mental worship she went as she pressed her lips at the base of him.   
            His hum of pleasure encouraged her as she flattened her tongue, from the flesh at his base to the tip, swirling the head before she took the tapered tip and sucked on it lightly. The way he let his head fall back and sigh at the feeling of her on him spurred her on. Firmly she pushed the tip of her tongue against the small opening at the tip, his hiss made her smile as she opened her eyes and looked at him. She put her hand around his shaft, as best she could, and stroked him. “What?” she asked coyly.   
           “Fuck, that’s good” he sighed at her, his green eyes heavy lidded as he met her gaze. He gave a slack smile as she hummed at him before looking at his member, slick with mostly his natural lubricant and precum, some of her saliva.   
            “You know you’re sweet right?” she asked as she grinned at him devilishly.   
            He raised an eyebrow plate at her, his head was not in the right place to put two and two together, “I do my best for you.”  
            “No~” she sang at him before she knelt down and licked the bead of precum from his cock, “You’re sweet” she cooed as she tasted him and kept stroking him slowly.   
            His brain gave out then, it was a lot for him to take in at once. One swift, but surprisingly gentle movement, and his hand was guiding her head back to his member. The deep rumble in his chest nearly making his whole body vibrate; Adeline just laughed in her throat as she took him back into her mouth and began her gentle rhythm. She didn’t have much experience giving blowjobs, but if he reacted this well to her inexperienced form, she was willing to get lots of practice with him. To improve her technique purely of course!   
            He wanted to force her head down further, however he remembered the first time he’d been a little over zealous and wasn’t about to do that again… ever. It didn’t take long for him to feel the tightening in his abdomen, the sensations were new and he was enjoying them greatly.   
            “Baby…” he breathed out as he tried to move her head from him. She simply laced her fingers with his and looked at him before her eyes closed again. He understood then and that just made his stomach clench. He came with a growl, holding down all the sounds he wanted to make as best he could.   
            Adeline smirked around him as she stroked at the length that wasn’t in her mouth, coaxing every drop from him. Once he finished, just lying there watching her, breathing heavily she pulled him from her mouth with a suction and looked at him. She still wore that same smirk before she opened her mouth and showed him. He swallowed thickly as he watched her, their eyes locking as she closed her mouth and swallowed.   
            “Fuh… Addie…baby” he barely got out as she licked her lips and then her fingers. “That’s hot”   
            She grinned at him and massaged his thighs gently, “Glad you liked it.” she gave him a sweet look before she looked down at him, “Still?”   
            “Turian Stamina?” he offered meekly. “More likely that I am just blown away by you”   
            “Well I did just blow you” she said with a straight face, before they look each other in the eye and both started sputtering with laughter. “You still owe me round two anyways”   
            “And I fully plan to deliver” he purred at her as she straddled his hips. His hands going to her waist, he rumbled, pleased at how he could meet his thumbs and middle fingers entirely around her, even if just barely. The fact she was so soft and added pleasure to it, he could easily just break her, yet here she was, willingly giving herself to him.   
            Slowly she ground her folds against him, sighing and biting her lower lip as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling. Feeling him press her harder onto his length she brought her hands over her head and gyrated slowly, the sound he graveled out as he watched her made her burn with anticipation. He still wanted her just as much as he had the first time, and that was flattering.   
            Her hand went to his stomach, stilling herself as she angled him beneath her at her entrance, before she began to lower herself slowly. She wasn’t as tight as before, thankfully, however that stretch still had her flushing and moaning behind tightly pulled lips, her head going back as she felt him reach her cervix. “Ugh, do you know how good this feels?” she asked him as she rolled her neck and looked at him.   
            “I have an idea, believe me” he groaned as he moved her hips and finally managed to bottom out. He was now damned sure nothing felt better than being inside her, well, maybe the warm feeling he always got when she kissed him.   
            He’d wanted to let her be in control, he really had, however he was enjoying it far too much. The sight of him disappearing and reappearing from her insides, slick with their mixed fluids, the eventual soft wet noises that came from where they were joined. He loved the sight of her breasts bouncing when he pulled her down firmly onto him. The feeling of her hands holding onto his thighs tightly, how she was giving small sounds, which turned into sharp gasps whenever he ran his thumb over her clit.   
            He had to set his jaw and shut his eyes as he felt her climax, the strained noise from her throat making him want to join her. However he had other plans, he waited until the small fluttering movements from her walls stopped before he pulled from her. “On your knees.”   
            Adeline obeyed him; slowly she got into position in front of him on his knees behind her and she on all fours. Only for her to give a surprised gasp as he grabbed her hips and spear on his cock with one hard thrust into her from behind. He couldn’t help but lick his mouth plates at the feeling of her thighs shaking against his. “Easy” she whined back at him.   
            Leaning over her he carefully gripped her jaw and turned her head so he could lick her throat. “Sorry, got a little excited” he whispered apologetically into her ear as he pulled her flush against him. With his left he grabbed her matching hand and brought it between her legs, forcing her fingers to feel where they were joined. He however went to stroking her clit as he began small firm thrusts into her. As much as he wanted to rush to his own release, he wanted to savor this as well as make sure she enjoyed herself.   
            Vertian kept her tightly to him, his right arm holding her to him tightly as she used her right to hold his head against hers. The strained silence interrupted by gasps, sighs, moans, and the faintest whispers of their names from each other’s throats. Fast would have been sufficient, to get off and then roll together. However he wanted her to know he valued this so much more than any form of stress relief. He’d had that already, not was time to please and make love to the woman he was falling in love with.   
            With furrowed brows Adeline moved his hand from her chest and placed it just under her navel, applying pressure there from his hand. She gave one long shudder through her whole body at the added feeling, only to whimper against him as he nipped at her neck. He wanted to mark her, make it clear to everyone who could see that she was his; however he wasn’t about to make such a bold move without her consent or permission, not Adeline.

            He didn’t know how long they were like that, nor did he care. Happily he lost himself in just being enveloped in her. as she climaxed a third time he pushed her pelvis back into him firmly and with a few hard strokes followed her.   
            He rumbled deeply between pants, falling forward and catching them on his arm he rested his forehead between her shoulder blades. “Adeline” he breathed, his mouth plates nipping gently at her back.   
            “Vertian?” she asked, her body still giving slight shivers as he continued to fill her. He hummed at her questioningly, still trying to gather his mental state after all this. Funny how something so good could make him feel so fuddled in his brain.   
            “Nothing” she breathed, she had just wanted to know if he was still there with her. A happy hum came from her as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and nosed at her neck. Nope, nothing was better than being his. She was happily his woman, and he very much happy to be hers.


	9. Her Handsome Hunny Bunny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> post coital floof

            “Aww, making us a love nest?” asked Adeline as she walked into their room. In one hand she had a cup of tea; in the other she had one of his “juice boxes”. The ship was theirs all week; Kal’Reegar had basically thrown them the paperwork as he bolted out the exit. He was off to see Tali, who was also on shore leave, and neither Adeline nor Vertian believed that was coincidence. Of course they couldn’t really blame their Captain when they knew he only took the job because the woman he held a torch for asked him.   
            It didn’t bother them either, it just meant that Adeline could walk around the ship in Vertian’s t-shirt, and he had no shame walking from their room naked. Besides, what was better than being able to be all over each other and not having to worry about comments or anything, especially since he was just starting to discover the places that made her shiver and cry his name.   
            “I don’t think we really need to be sleeping apart… considering our… erm…” he shrugged before flushing and looking away from her. He irritated himself that he was still struggling to call her his out loud, spirits, he’d had unprotected sex with her multiple times just hours ago. Thankfully Adeline just smiled at him and would soothe him.   
            “Considering you’re my boyfriend and I love sleeping next to you? Otherwise known as our consensual relationship” she asked as she went to his side and pressed her head to his. He chuffed at her affectionately before taking the drink and squeezing it.   
            “Yeah, I like sleeping with you too”   
            “Oh, I know, you sure proved that you have the stamina for more than just battle” she grinned as she pulled off her sheets and unfolded her mattress pad. She just smiled at him as he made an embarrassed keen. “What? Ashamed you slept with a small squishy human?” she asked.   
            “Not at all, just…” he drifted off as he cranked a wrench and finished setting their two single cots into one double bed. “Baby, you could have found someone your own species…”   
            “So? Honey, I like you” she purred at him as she went over and wrapped her arms around his waist. Thicker than a lot of turians, but pure muscle, she didn’t understand why he didn’t think he was all that attractive; to her he was the best thing since sliced bread. “I chose my hunky hunny bunny turian because he’s sweet, and loving, and jaw dropping-ly handsome” she smiled and rested her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. He was too cute for his own good, the way he looked away from her, mandibles tight to his face but eyes sparkling.   
            “I’m not handsome… I’m not… I’m not all thin, my fringe isn’t long, and my mandibles aren’t… artistically curved” he muttered, looking down at her sadly.   
            “You’re the most handsome. You’re strong and the very perfection of masculinity. Your fringe is perfect, not too long where it gets in the way and still long enough to make you look oh so roguish. Your mandibles are square, like a strong chin on a human, so handsome!” she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hopping up and letting him catch her. “So handsome, the most handsome, I’m such a lucky girl” she grinned and pressed her nose bridge to his, adding in a quick kiss. “My handsome turian” she added as she gently bit his nose and grinned.   
            He would never know what this beautiful, wonderful woman saw in him… but he was thankful none the less. She thought he was handsome, that was enough. Plus she wasn’t lacking in the confidence and ability to constantly tell him. He had gotten off to her telling him how beautiful he was, if only he had been able to quell the rumbling in him enough to return the sentiments, however… well, her body was something that easily pulled away his mind. He’d lost himself in it plenty of times.   
            “Thank you baby” he told her softly.   
            “Anytime” she grinned while grabbing his face and kissing him. “Sleeps?”  
            “Yes, I am so tired. My girl just handed me my ass and then let me have oh so much fun with her” he smirked at her, green eyes glinting.   
            “Good, you know your place, I am so much a better fighter, and the best lay you’ll ever have” she giggled.   
            “Hopefully the last too, I would be disappointed with anyone else” he admitted as he dropped her onto the mattress and watched her bounce. Sleep came easier than ever before, after he’d lain down with her, her small body tucked close into his and the two of them getting comfortable. The soft warmth of his lover with him yanked him into comfort faster than he thought was possible. Very soon after he was sleeping on his side with her pulled into his chest, her head tucked under his chin as she nestled into him and drifted off as well.


	10. All Hers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ugh, the cuteness kills me.

****

            “You’re a dork” chuffed Vertian as he leaned against a pillar at the entrance of a shop. Adeline didn’t have any clothes other than her fatigues, and he had just ruined the one pair of pants she had. He didn’t understand why women took so long to pick out clothes; they were just fabric to cover their bodies. Then again he hadn’t worn anything but fatigues for the past 15 years… probably why he didn’t understand it.   
            “Mmhmm, but I’m your dork” hummed Adeline as she continued to browse through racks. She didn’t even look at him, which made him just watch her with a loving gaze. How was it possible such a woman was happy to be his? He still had no idea, and he felt even less inclined with every second spent with her to find out. “What do you think of this?” she asked while holding up a short red dress.   
            Vertian closed one eye and tilted his head, Evans wore that obnoxious shade of yellow a lot, and Vertian hated Evans… nope. “No” he said flatly before she looked at him and wrinkled her nose. She continued to browse however as he cracked his neck. He turned and looked at everyone around them, watching the other couples he smiled gently to himself. He finally had that… someone who hung on his arm and smiled brightly at him. Purring he felt proud of himself, even if it was all Adeline’s doing for choosing him. Something about him had attracted her. “Baby?”   
            “Yes my Hunky Hunny Bunny?” asked Adeline as she held up a black dress and tilted her head before putting it back.   
            “What made you choose me?” he asked softly.   
            She turned and looked at him, a questioning look on her face before she smiled gently. “Your heart” she answered with a bright grin. “And your smile, and your fringe, how you laugh, the way you always sleep late.” She added as she turned back to browsing. “The way you always assume I’m not watching when you should know by now perfectly well that I know everything”   
            Vertian had been gazing at her lovingly before she said that last bit; he then flushed blue and looked away from her. He really should have known that by now, she knew everything about everyone and was prepared for all of it. The day she didn’t know something was the day he didn’t hate Evans. That would be _never_.  
            “This one?” asked Adeline, her voice pulling from his thoughts. She was holding up a pale pink dress now. He tilted his head again before sighing. If he wanted to get this over with and show his woman off he’d better actually help.   
            Walking over he leaned forward enough for his chin to rest on her head, his arms around her waist. “White” he said after a few long moments. “This one” he said pulling up a dress. “Try it”   
            Adeline took it and looked it over before smiling gently. She then nodded and pecked his mandible before running behind a curtain. The thought to follow her crossed his mind before he mentally slapped himself. He’d had her all last night, and twice this morning, he could slow his roll long enough for his girlfriend to buy some clothes. Plus, since when was he a sex addict? Okay, so being with Adeline did that to him… he couldn’t help that what she did to his body and heart that had him craving her like a drug addict craved red sand.   
            Adeline came out a few moments later and stood in front of a mirror. Vertian had been watching the crowds outside before he looked at her and he felt his jaw go slack. She looked like something not even he could dream up. Her brown hair handing just past her shoulders in soft waves, the fabric flowing loosely down to just above her knees, she looked so soft. Adeline was a youthful and feminine looking woman, but he’d always associated her with the war machine she was on the battle field. Firstly she was his, second she was a soldier, and he was ashamed to admit he’d never thought of her in a dress.   
            “You’re going to catch debris with your mouth open like that Honey” laughed Adeline as she turned and looked at her back in the mirror. “Can’t wear this with combat boots” she laughed gently as she looked at a shelf next to the mirror and picked what he assumed were rubber soled slippers. He knew nothing about fashion, let alone human female fashion.   
            “I’ll get it for you” he offered as she handed the ticket she’d yanked from the back of the dress to the woman. She looked at him and gave him a look like he was being dumb. “What?”  
            “I’m capable of buying my own clothes, I’m a high respected soldier” she smiled as she reached for the bag, only for her turian boyfriend to take it and hold it over his head.   
            “Oh no, you can let me do something normal for you” he smirked as she jumped up and leaned against him trying to reach it. She scowled at him before she put her foot on his leg spur and he started laughing as she literally began climbing him. “Baby!”  
            “Damn it you tree!” she squealed as she almost lost balance, only saved by his other arm slamming around her. She however kept reaching, “Vertian! I’m not a weak girl for you to go all manly over!”   
            “No, you’re strong and beautiful, and one hell of a woman.” He purred as he caught her mouth with his mouth plates and kissed her. “But you’re my woman, so let me be your man”   
            Adeline looked at him before she blushed across her nose and hugged him around the neck. She then turned his head and kissed him again, “Fine, just because you’re cute.”  
            Nope, he had no idea how he managed to get this woman to love him… but he was thankful to every spirit that she did.

            Hand holding, it wasn’t something he ever thought he’d get to do. His pervious, and only other actual girlfriend, hadn’t been big on public affection; not that he was all that inclined to give it to her either, but sometimes he wanted to try. She would have none of it. Adeline though, she took his before he could even ask her, her fingers lacing awkwardly with his, he still loved it though.   
            The public kisses and obvious loving looks had him melting for her as well. She wasn’t the least bit ashamed to be on his arm. She wasn’t even shy about calling herself his or vice versa in front of everyone. His mother would drop dead if she heard this, but he couldn’t help but love every second of being with her.

            “’EYYYYYY!” called his platoon as they saw him from the bar. “VEE!” one of his friends shouted as they waved him over.   
            Vertian chirped surprised before he grinned and lifted his hand at them in greeting. He then moved to continue walking only to jerk as he felt Adeline yank him back to her. “Baby?”   
            “Let’s go see them” she told him happily. “You didn’t get to have fun with them, and I wouldn’t mind meeting them” she grinned. Vertian looked at her shocked before he looked at his friends and then back at her. Did he want his friends knowing he was with someone? Did he want them knowing she was human? Not at all because he was ashamed, far from it, but he worried about the things they could say to her. Then again… Adeline could easily hold her own. Her eyes were big and begging him now and he sighed before smiling at her sweetly.   
            “Okay” he smirked as he pulled her under his arm and walked with her. As he predicted all of them stared at him with open mouths and shocked looks. “Guys, this is my Girlfriend Adeline Green.” He introduced.   
            There was a moment of awkward silence before they all looked at her, she smiled sweetly, and then they looked at him, before back at him. It was Graxis that spoke first. “Okay how much did he pay you to say you were his girlfriend and do you have any friends?”   
            Vertian sputtered before Adeline started laughing. “He didn’t pay me a credit” she smiled, “However I fully took advantage of him, all night long”   
            The roar of cheering overwhelmed Vertian as he sat on a barstool and pulled Adeline into his side. He was already covering his eyes and laughing from how they acted. “Baby don’t give them anymore ammo”   
            “Ooh? They have ammo. Okay guys Spill and I’ll give you all the number of a pair of Asari twins.” She grinned.   
            “Oh, Spirits bless you woman! I will tell you everything!” said Stalis as he came and went to his knees in front of her. “Did you know he once chatted up an Elcor because he was so hammered?!”   
            Vertian kicked him as Adeline went wide eyed with a giant smile on her face. He looked at her laugh and so easily melt into talking with his friends, this woman had to be a gift to him from some sort of generous spirits. She then turned and looked at him and he sighed, “I have no idea what I did that night, for all I know they’re lying” he admitted.   
            “I wouldn’t put it past you, based on how drunk you can get while we’re in space” she teased as she leaned into him. He put his arm around her waist and took a deep breath of her scent from her neck. He slowly ran the tip of his tongue up her throat and purred as she shivered and sighed against him.   
            “Whooo~ Is it hot in here or just me?”  
            “I think it’s just them, damn… humans gotta be something if Vee is all up in a tizzy”   
            “Think about it, they’re bound to be a good lay man, they’re so small. Now I want a human girlfriend!”   
            “Alright Knock it off you all” said Vertian as he opened an eye and looked at them. Adeline giggled against him before Graxis slid over and put am arm across her shoulders.   
            “Okay, lady, in all seriousness. You gotta be honest too. “he looked at her and pointed in her face. “You good to him? Treatin’ our Vee like the damned good guy he is?” he then looked at his comrade, “You treating her good? Can’t be giving the 26th a bad name brother, we’re all great men here”   
            “If you’re all at least half as good as Vertian then you’re the best” smiled Adeline as she pulled her lover’s head down to press her forehead to his. “and he’s perfect” she shamelessly told them while looking Vertian in the eye, her arms going around his neck. He purred happily and flushed blue, smiling widely and laughing nervously.   
            The cheering from his friends nearly deafened her, but she smiled and rested her forehead against Vertian’s mandibles. He was perfect, every over grown ounce of him; from his roguishly handsome fringe to his cute toe talons.

            And he was all hers.


	11. Little Bit Dirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More porn, sorry, but porn...

            “Honey, you’re drunk, come on” laughed Adeline as she tried to steer her wobbly turian towards the exit of the club they’d ended up in. His friends were a riot, all of them equally as good natured and lively as he was. She’d enjoyed hearing stories of him, especially from when he was younger.   
            Which of course had finally lead to Vertian needing a drink, even more so after they’d told him about the time he got caught with his pants around his spurs with a superior officer and thus been given three months cleaning the toilets. Another story about the time he was fiddling with a piece of tech and it exploded on him. Finally he was down three very strong drinks when they were telling Adeline about how his mother would call him every day when he first been drafted.   
            Adeline herself had been impressed that the group of them had all applied and been chosen for the 26th, apparently the group had also been school friends and grown up together. It’d surprised her however when the guys informed her that Vertian was probably considered the least attractive out of the group, not that they cared, he was their brother in arms and thus they all helped him in romantic endeavors. The bond between them had her smiling and gazing at her turian with such loving eyes that he’d earned more cheers and congratulations of finally picking a good girl.   
            She saw Vertian as probably the best damn looking being to ever walk. Then again she didn’t exactly share the same standards of beauty as others. Vertian’s supposedly “Unimpressive” fringe stroke her as perfectly suited. His more square shaped mandibles and jawline made her think of him and tough and kind of rugged, which she liked. Apparently his overall size wasn’t doing it all for turian females either… and Adeline had gaped at that one, before she’d brought his head to her chest possessively and told them that it was only their loss and her gain, she adored him. Which was the truth, nothing made her feel safer than his arms around her, that and his size endeared her since she knew how much of a sweetheart he was. Gentle giant in her mind, to those he deemed deserving of gentle behavior anyways.

            “No, Baby, come on it’s still early! Let’s go dancing” grinned Vertian as he nearly ran into a group of turian women who started clicking at him angrily. Adeline responded by pulling him to her before she whirled on them and mimicked their noises. She cared little what they meant; only that she was going to rip to shreds anyone who made her man feel bad.   
            Good thing Vertian was too far gone to notice their feelings as he pulled Adeline back to him and purred at her. “Unless you want to do other things that involve moving our bodies together” he whispered in her ear.   
            “Damn it Vertian not here!” whimpered Adeline as she felt his hands going up her skirt and squeezing at her backside. “You flip too fast for your own good, one moment you want to dance and be merry the next your molesting me in public!” she scolded lightly as he just nipped at her neck and purred.   
            He chuckled and leaned over palming at a direct transit console, “Can’t help that my girl is too sexy for her own good” he grinned at her. “Share some sugar baby” he then added as he leaned down and pressed his mouth plates to her lips, nipping at her lower lip. With a sigh she melted and conceded to him, her arms going around his neck as she kissed him, her mouth opening to accept his long tongue.   
            Adeline’s head had begun that warm familiar buzzing as the cab came, the door opened and she pushed her oversized alien love in before following him. Vertian was lying back on the seat, looking at the console and typing in the information for their dock, his eyes barely focused in as Adeline returned the favor for his public show. Her hands were at his waist, pulling his shirt from his pants as she started massaging his sides, smiling into his neck as he moaned and looked at her, mildly frustrated. She just smiled before she nosed her way back to his neck and then bit him hard.   
            “Oh, Fuck” whined Vertian as he hit enter and finally was able to put his hands back on her. Immediately they went for her thighs and slid up her legs to her ass. He didn’t know when he started this obsession with her rear, but he wasn’t one to hold himself back when she was near torturing him. Sliding under the fabric of her panties he grabbed at the flesh there and kneaded at her, earning him a wavering moan against his throat.   
            It anything made her want him, it was his desire to experiment, explore, and touch every inch of her. This morning he’d explored just how pleasing oral was, and thus came down her throat three times before he finally decided he needed to be inside her cunt, spilling a final time inside her before initiating some much desired affectionate cuddling. She’d gotten maybe a half hour’s rest while he went to get them some food, before he was back and was pinning her to the mattress. Turian stamina indeed, he was insatiable when he wanted it, and she loved every moment.   
            The way his hands were gripping her ass while his fingers explored her most sensitive areas had her panting against his neck. He panted through his mouth as he concentrated on whatever his mind was planning.   
            “Addie…” he started, only stopping before she turned his head to kiss her, the fingers that were stroking at her slit from behind quickly building a fire. “Baby, can I?” he asked softly, before one of his talons stroked at her back entrance. He knew this was a little dirty, but damned if he wasn’t curious to how she felt about being played with there.   
            In truth, it wasn’t exactly her favorite area, one too many times an overzealous partner had thrust in and seriously hurt her. However this was Vertian, and he was asking permission, that made her feel a little more comfortable and she just whined and nodded against his mandible, her right arm coming and holding his head to her. She didn’t need to verbalize it that she would hurt him if he hurt her. He knew… very well.    
            He turned and kissed her before he dipped his talon inside her folds and slicked it up with the already admirable wetness. So even he knew that lubrication was needed, good. Gently he stroked the pad of his talon against her opening to help her relax, before pushing in to the first knuckle. Adeline sighed against his face as he nipped at her jaw, he was both thankful and incredibly hard for her right now, she was letting him do something completely dirty . He loved every moment of it, especially as she pushed back against him, his finger sliding into her ass to the second digit before he pulled it out only to push it in again.   
            “Like it?” he asked as she moaned and ground herself against his stomach. Somehow he was both sobering up and getting more drunk all at once.   
            “It’s good, you’re being gentle” she whined into his aural canal while pushing back against him. He purred deep in his chest and moved one of her hands to his groin, helping her to figure out how he needed to be touched that second. Not that he could blame her for not knowing sooner, she did have a large turian finger in her ass. Adeline nodded and firmly rubbed at the giant bulge, sighing into the side of his face as he fingered her.

            “We have arrived at your destination” the VI of the cab told them. Vertian barely pulled himself from her in time before the doors opened. He looked at her before smiling nervously.   
            “What? You want to feel me up in public but don’t want anyone seeing your talon in my ass?” asked Adeline breathlessly into his ear before she slid out of the cab and waited for him.   
            “No one needs a show of your body but me” he growled at her possessively before leaning down to kiss her. “Continue on the ship?”   
            “Fuck yes…”


	12. The Sweetest Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I chickened out! Don't hate me!   
> Little crap shot of after sex,

            “You’re a bad man” huffed Adeline as she sat on her knees in their bed. Vertian only chucked as he stroked his hand up her back and gave her the loving look.   
            “Oh? And how am I bad baby?” he asked, dual toned voice just dripping with mischievous intent. She turned and looked over her bare shoulder at him and sighed, her face falling into her hand as she refused to look at him. “Aww, What? You know you liked it.” he hummed at her.   
            Adeline didn’t want to admit she’d liked it that much. She did not want to admit that him fucking her in every hole and then completely filling up both her lowers ones with his seed had done it for her. Nor did she want to admit that she’d liked it when he’d held her arms behind her and gave it to her hard; especially when he had been using both her openings down there. “You’re too curious for your own good” she whined.   
            Currently she sat holding the blanket around herself while he just sprawled out next to her. He had no shame in what they’d done and it showed. To him though it probably translated as that she was his even more, Turians were a dirty bunch. Why did it have to be so hot? “No I’m curious just enough to have you crying out for more.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Honey! Oh, Honey I need more! Fill me more! I’m yours! I’m all yours! Fill my ass and pussy with your cum!” he then stopped gave her a wide grin and raised a brow plate at her.   
            Adeline whined and pulled the blanket over her head. She’d never once been a screamer, a soft moaner at most. It took a dirty minded turian hunk to get her to crack, she didn’t know what she was more ashamed of, the fact she had been screaming or the fact that she’d asked for it in both holes. She struggled against him as he pulled her against him, she did not feel like cuddling. She felt like she needed a hot shower, scald off her own disgusting self.   
            “Not a word” she hissed after a few moments.   
            Vertian didn’t need to speak as he chuckled and pressed his mouth plates to her shoulder. She was adorable, even though she was ashamed of what they’d done. But she’d asked for it, if she hadn’t agreed to it he wouldn’t have done it. Gently he pulled the blanket off her head and nuzzled her jaw. “Fine…” conceded Adeline as she held his head against hers and finally let him love on her.   
            He laughed softly and held her tightly. “If you never want to do it again we don’t have to” he offered. He then pulled away to watch the internal struggle Adeline was having with herself over it, the entire time he just gave her a loving look. Eventually she bit her lip and sighed.   
            “Not for a while! Let me gain back some dignity” she demanded, to which he just laughed and nodded. She then lit up, remembering something. “Oh, Honey?”   
            “Yes Baby?” he asked as he lay back on his pillow and got comfortable.   
            “Since when did you get so comfortable saying dirty things? I mean quoting me on what I said during sex was pretty dirty.” She smiled at him.   
            Vertian went stiff, he then opened one eye and looked at her, and the keen in his throat said everything. He’d just realized exactly what came from his mouth and now he was embarrassed. Adeline laughed at him and thumped him on the chest, revenge was sweet.


	13. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah... yeah... just yeah.

            Eight months; eight long, horrible, gruesome, bloody, heartbreaking, and life ending months. That’s how long they’d been at this war already, how many people had died? How many had died in compared to how many reapers had been taken out? No one had a clue if this was even going to be something that they could win anymore. Kal’Reegar was tired and worn down, his crew right there with him. They weren’t Shepard and her crew; they were a bunch of misfits and one Quarian marine.   
            Adeline was sitting on her bed with her head hidden in her hands, her knees tucked to her chest. This last mission had been hard, harder than she wanted to ever remember it being. Innocent lives, they’d had to choose between innocent lives and information that would save trillions of others. Kal’Reegar hadn’t been ready for it; he hadn’t expected something like this to be flung at him. The decision had left him with a heavy heart and a broken mental state. She could relate, it’s been a similar call for her in private.   
            Vertian was next to his girlfriend, one leg hanging off the edge of their bed as he leaned back against the headboard. Silence, that’s what had been between them for the past few hours. Showered, fed, watered, and patched up; they both sat there now, just turning everything that had happened between them in their hands.   
            “Baby” he finally said gently, his eyes looking at her still form. “Why?”   
            Adeline took a deep breath in and out her nose as she rose her head. “Why what?”  
            “Why me?”   
            “Why not you?”   
            “Why me over that kid?”   
            “Again, why not you? Why not my boyfriend? Why should I pick some random stranger over you?” she asked while rubbing her face, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She’d known this was coming, she’d been hoping it wouldn’t, but of course it would. Vertian was a good man who would always put another’s life before his own.   
            Vertian flared his mandibles and move to speak, before he stopped and then pulled them tightly to his face, looking away. “For the good of the many over the good for yourself” he quoted softly.   
            “Always for everyone else, always for the hierarchy?” asked Adeline as she leaned buried her face in her hands again.   
            “Yeah, we’re taught to give to everyone else, and forget our own desires when it’s called for” he answered as he looked at his hands absent mindedly. “I guess that’s why I don’t understand why you so quickly chose me…”   
            Adeline sniffled and hugged her knees, looking out the big window of their room now. “What would you have chosen?” she asked, dreading the answer. “The kid over me?”   
            He looked up at her quickly before his eyes fell back to his hands. He wasn’t sure… that’s what bothered him so much. All his life, forget his own needs, do for everyone else, live up to standards, and give everything up for the good and happiness of the majority. However, thinking about it on the shuttle back, he’d realized just how much he couldn’t imagining picking the kid over Adeline. Even with his scared face, the idea of being without Adeline was too much.   
            He took a deep breath and rubbed his face, his hand going up and over his fringe as well before settling on the back of his neck. “You”   
            Adeline went stiff before she turned and looked at him, her gold eyes wide and streaming large tears. “But… Turians…”  
            “I’m a shit Turian then” he admitted bitterly. “Adeline, I have done nothing but try to please everyone my whole life. I have tried to live up to my brother’s level. I have tried to please my mother; I have tried to make my father proud. The only good thing in my life so far that I decided on all on my own, has been you” his voice was rough; he was angry and ashamed of himself. He felt as if he had just let down his entire species.   
            “You are not a shit Turian” snapped Adeline firmly as she crawled towards him and sat on her knees close to him. He instinctively put his arm around her and pulled her into his side. He’d done it before he’d even realized he had and that made him feel even more insecure. He knew he loved her. He’d know he’d loved her for weeks now. He knew he was head over heels madly in love with his devilishly perfect woman.   
            It’d hit him when he was watching her struggle with Prax, he’d taken a pretty nasty head injury. She was there patient as ever as she calmed him down and worked on it. Her hands had been gentle, her voice soft and loving, and her gaze maternal. Prax had even let go enough to start crying a little, only to fully let it out when she hugged him to her chest. She was just as injured, broken, and tired… but somehow she found the strength to be there for the barely adult Krogan and soothe him. The realization came after he found himself thinking, _she’ll be an amazing mother to our kids_. He hadn’t even realized just how deeply he’d fallen until then, he was so far gone he already saw himself married to her and raising a family. The thought had petrified him and brought on a whole new set of fears… the dreaded “what ifs” about the war not turning out in their favor.   
            “I am, I’m incredibly Selfish” he sighed as she curled into his side, when his cheek rested on top of her head he let it go. The keen from his chest was dreadfully sorrowful. So much so that Adeline shifted and pulled his head so their foreheads were together. The gentle nuzzle she gave him as she settled her nose bridge against his calmed him significantly. She didn’t know, but he did… he’d already bonded to her on every level. She was his mate, the only one for him.   
            “Why? My beloved Vertian, why are you so incredibly selfish?” she asked concerned for his emotional wellbeing now. She knew she could punch herself in the metaphorical dick and shove through it, but Vertian was a much softer and pure heart than she was.   
            “Because I love you too much to ever imagine living without you” he whispered out between the soft keening. “I love you Adeline, so much more than I think I could ever express. Than I ever thought I could care for someone.”   
            Adeline looked him in the eye and started to cry, “Vertian, you idiot… why do you think I picked you?”   
            “I have no fucking clue baby” he breathed as he used his thumb to wipe some tears from her cheek. “I honestly have no idea why you picked me over that kid.”   
            She laughed softly, her hand rubbing his chest softly. He had not a clue how much she loved him did he? Adeline Green, a woman turned into a cold merciless monster from all the struggle in her life. She’d cut people down as they begged and pleaded, she’d beheaded the loved ones of her enemies in front of them, watched them mentally break before her. She was a monster, a ruthless killer. She showed no mercy to anyone who got in her way, reapers included.   
            Yet, somehow, Vertian had warmed and melted her heart in ways she didn’t think were possible. She wasn’t his sex toy, she wasn’t his stress relief, she wasn’t his punching bag; he was nothing but kind to her. He knew how to fuck her silly, but still made love to her triple fold. They sought each other when stressed, but it wasn’t as empty as relieving any tension. It was a hopeless need for each other. Whenever they sparred, he never took cheap blows and hurt her, in the field he was never harmful towards her, just as gentle as when he loved her later in the night.   
            To think all it had taken was him smiling at her a few times, his hands soft on hers as he’d showed her how to properly hold a rocket launcher. How he’d spoken to the rescued people they’d saved. How kind and wonderful he just naturally was, how he shone with a light brighter than any sun.   
            She’d realized how much she loved him randomly; he was sitting in the commons at a table fixing the toaster as she stood over the stove and did all she could to make his Dextro MRE into something tolerable. They were both tired and beat up from war, and she had been irritated that she couldn’t have toast… he’d just picked up the toaster and went to fixing it. She’d walked over and kissed his mandible before preparing him a meal. It had been so domestic, so freakishly domestic just after they’d worked together and taken out a reaper. She’d know it was love as soon as she set down the plate in front of him and he’d looked at her as if she was his savior.   
            “Because I love you. I love you with every shred of my being Vertian.” She sniffled as he stared at her in shock. “But… Adeline…”   
            “But what? Did you think I was joking every time I called you mine? Did you think there was no meaning behind the rage if someone besides you made a move on me? Did you think I trusted you so fully because there wasn’t a better choice?” she asked while running her hand over his fringe. “Honey, you may not have noticed, but I’m not exactly the loving person you paint me to be.”   
            “Shut up” snipped Vertian as he pressed his mouth plates against her lips and kissed her. “You are, you’re more loving and warm than you could ever imagine. I know you like to think of herself as a cold hearted killer. I’ve seen the look in your eyes and how easily you cut down whatever we face.” he ran his talons through her hair and sighed as he nuzzled her. “You hold us all up, Kal may be our captain, but you hold up this entire ship on your shoulders because you’re the only one who does what’s needed, not just what’s asked of you.”   
            “So do you, Vertian, I know you hate responsibility, but do you realize how much you took on by yourself? Everyone depends on you for a plan, I depend on you for everything. If you’re not by my side out there I feel so naked and weak… and they used to send me out alone because I was the only one who could work alone.” She sighed as he pulled her closer to him and nuzzled against her; his keening dying down and turning into the softest, almost inaudible purring.   
            “Adeline, you know you should be with someone your own species…” muttered Vertian before he grunted as her fist connected with his stomach.   
            “No. No matter what you say or do. No. The only one I will ever want is you” she said through gritted teeth. The grip she took on the back of his head was almost painful as she pushed his head against hers and nuzzled him hard. “I’m yours and only yours, no one will ever have me. Not as long as this heart beats and I draw breath. Remember this Vertian, _I am only yours_.”  
            He couldn’t control it, the desperate sound from his throat as he held her tightly and kissed her. “I love you”   
            “I love you” she whispered back to him against his lips.


	14. Can we have a Future?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...ouch

            How little they knew about each other was surprising. They’d been monogamously committed to each other for six months, and they didn’t even know each other’s ages. Catching up was something they’d decided to do. The ship was quiet, dead silent as people did things in their rooms or slept. Vertian felt a little ashamed he’d forgotten to ask such simple things, then again with everything going on, he didn’t blame himself too much. War was what was on their minds if not thinking about what they desperately wanted.   
            Adeline hummed happily at him as he ran his talons through her hair and gazed into her eyes. He loved her so much; she was his mate, his bondmate. She was the one person he would love for the rest of his life, as sad as the thought was for him at times.   
            He couldn’t remember the last time they’d fooled around, they had sex pretty regularly, and it wasn’t even planned. They just seemed to be in sync as to when they wanted each other. However since she’d confessed to him and he her, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to just “fuck”. No, they made love all the time, which he was perfectly happy with. By the looks and smiles he got from Adeline, he was fairly sure she was happy with it too.   
            “Age?” he asked her softly.   
            “Twenty seven a month ago.” She told him softly.   
            “Last month was your birthday?” he asked feeling a little shameful, he thought humans celebrated the days they were born.   
            “Mmhmm, never been big on celebrating it though, always been alone.” She grabbed his hand and pressed her lips to his palm. “You?”  
            “Thirty, huh… never would of figured I had three years on you” he mused. “Guess that explains why I am so much more experienced and just all over better” he joked.   
            “Mmmhmm” laughed Adeline. “Favorite color?”   
            “Green” he sighed.   
            “Same, it just makes me think of life and peace.” Adeline smiled widely.   
            Vertian chuffed lovingly at her and stroked her cheek. “Family?”   
            “None, never met anyone, never had anyone. Hackett is the closest, and he’s just my favorite boss” she shrugged, “You have your parents and a brother right?”   
            “Yeah, Older brother, he’s married and has four kids already. I have five aunts and two uncles and their spouses as well, a lot of cousins. Big family” he informed as he tucked some hair behind her ear. “childhood dream?”   
            “None, my childhood was dark at best” she whispered. When he looked at her curiously she scooted a little closer to him and he held her. “I spent my childhood in some sort of facility, when I started puberty they put me in some weird breeding program. I was a child getting fucked by men.” When he started growling she looked him in the eye, “At thirteen I escaped, destroyed everything, everyone… even the other kids. Spent three weeks surviving in some sort of tundra, got picked up by a science team. They were nice, they dropped me off with the police back on earth. I didn’t go in, instead survived on nothing for two years before I was done struggling, lied about my age, enlisted.” She told him as he nuzzled her. “Worked my ass off until someone noticed that my records weren’t lining up, almost got discharged. Hackett noticed how hard I was working in the medical program, and how good I was in the field. Suggested I apply for N7 training. The rest is history” she muttered as she ran her fingers over his colony markings, admiring the brilliant wheat gold color.   
            Vertian swallowed thickly as she touched his face, before he sighed and looked at her seriously, “In the… program… when you were a kid. Did it… did it ever work?”   
            “Three miscarriages, one stillborn”   
            He keened for her before pulling her closely to him and nuzzling her face. “I’m so sorry baby” he keened for her.   
            “I’m okay, it was a very long time ago. Besides… imagine what they would have done to them” she shrugged as he stroked her hair. “What about you?”   
            “Anything my parents picked…” he admitted, “I just wanted them to be proud of me as they were of my brother. I never did meet up to his shadow; he’s smarter, better looking, richer… I’m just some turian grunt now”   
            “No, you’re the best damned turian Havoc to ever live. You’re a handsome, sweet, kindhearted man who has a woman who loves him with every bit of herself. You’re smart, I mean neither of us are geniuses, but you learn things so fast.” She corrected as she kissed his mouth plates. He returned it with all his love.   
            “What do you want to do after the war?” asked Adeline softly.   
            Vertian looked at her and closed his eyes. He hated thinking about the future, with so many uncertainties. “You mean if we live?”   
            “We’re going to live Vertian”   
            “How can you be sure?”   
            “Because I have to be, because I have to hope and pray and believe.” She whispered. “I have to believe we’ll make it, then we’ll retire, you’ll ask me to marry you, we’ll move somewhere planet side, have a nice little house with a lot of land. Grow flowers, open a tiny café together. We’ll then grow old together, happy and surrounded by oodles of grandchildren.”   
            He smiled weakly at her imagery, oh how wonderful that sounded; for the two of them to end up happy together and being able to get through all this. He wanted it so badly, but he just couldn’t put the faith in it all as she did.   
            “Honey, if one of us doesn’t live… if I don’t. I want you to try and move on” she whispered to him softly. He nearly laughed at that notion. He still hadn’t told her that he was bonded to her, and he didn’t think he ever would. He was sure he was going to die in this war.   
            “Baby, if I die… you have to move on” he told her softly. “I won’t be able to move on, ever. You can though, you can forget all about this, start fresh with a good human.”   
            “Vertian, why are you always bringing up me being with a human?” asked Adeline getting a little irritated.   
            “So you have a chance to have all those children…”   
            “You think I have to carry them to think of them as mine? Vertian I could adopt and live happily with you. We could be parents to babies who need good parents.” She argued.   
            “Please, Adeline…” he sighed as he pressed his forehead to hers. “Please don’t argue, promise me, if I die you’ll move on. It’s the only way I’ll be able to rest easy when I die”   
            “What do you mean when?” she asked as she clung to him, “Vertian… you’re not going to…”   
            “No… but I’m pretty sure I will die” he muttered unable to look at her, “Promise me you’ll move on”   
            “No!” she choked as the sadness hit her hard. “Honey no, only yours” she whimpered.   
            He looked at her and stroked her face. “You can’t, you can’t be that and be happy” he smirked weakly at her.   
            “… do you not love me as much anymore?” she asked feeling her heart break.   
            Vertian looked at her then and contemplated his answer. Lie and push her away? Or tell the truth and do just as much damage? There was no right answer… so he went with his heart. “I love you more than my lungs need air. You’re my everything Addie, absolutely everything”   
            “So why? Why don’t you want a forever with me?”   
            “I do want a forever, Spirits, baby I wish we could have that forever…”   
            “And we can, you just, trust me… I can make it happen”   
            He looked at her, her eyes wide and pouring large tears as he looked at her. His heart was breaking as he watched her crumble. Why did she have to love him so much? Why? She should be agreeing to the promise and then setting it aside. So that when he died, when he died to make sure she had a future, she could find someone again and have the family she wanted.   
            With a sigh he kissed her and nestled his forehead against hers. “favorite animal?”   
            Adeline sniffled and choked on a sob before she got as close to him as she could. “Cats”  
            “What’s a cat?” he asked with a curious look.   
            She smiled and gave a watery giggle, and he felt his heart lighten just a bit. They still had a little time, he could forget for just a little while and just love her.


	15. Force

            “They’re cute little creatures on earth. They come in so many shapes and sizes and colors. You’d like them a lot.” Explained Adeline as she nuzzled him, “Turians remind me of them, because you guys purr, and like to cuddle, and have to own things with scent and display; being absolutely majestic helps too.”   
            “So… they’re kind of avian?”   
            “Mmm… no, they’re a mammal, feline.”   
            “Ahh… strange. I wish I could see one.” He mused.   
            “You will. Vertian, please… you will see one. We’ll get one when we get a home together.” She promised. “Please believe me”   
            Vertian sighed and nuzzled her. “I love you…”   
            “I love you” she replied as she held him tightly. Why couldn’t he had any faith that the two of them could be together forever? What made him so adamant that they couldn’t?

 

            “BABY!” shouted Vertian frantically as he jumped and used his thrusters to land on top of a building. Adeline was missing, he’d sworn she was right behind him ten minutes ago, it wasn’t until the evac came that they noticed she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “ADDIE! BABY PLEASE ANSWER ME!” he cried into the com.   
            “ADELINE!” shouted Evans as he appeared next to Vertian, “Wow, I mean, I get why she would leave you… but to off and die here?” he stated as he looked at Vertian. “Or maybe the Cerberus guys got ahold of her, having a little fun. Apparently she can really take it if she’s sleeping with you.”   
            Vertian looked at him, one kick and the man fell back onto his back on the concrete below. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with him right now. His mate was missing, and he needed to find her, _needed_ to find her. Everything was coursing through his mind, the few words of worry from last night… what if she was dead… what would happen? It made him hyperventilate with worry as he jumped down and kept looking.   
            What would he do without her? He couldn’t think of a single thing, he’d probably kill himself from grief. Love wasn’t something that he took lightly; most turians were fine with open marriages and the like. He wasn’t… Adeline was it, she was his mate, and he felt it in his gizzard that she was the only one he would ever love so deeply. Damn all to a restless grave that told him he was delusional, that they were a different species so it couldn’t matter. It mattered, they weren’t the same species, but that didn’t mean their love was any more or less important than someone else’s.  
            “Baby… please…” he nearly sobbed as he lifted a burning piece of metal to look under it. Dropping it he ignored the hot sensation of his hands having been irritated by the flames. Running turned into sprinting as he searched, before he skidded to a halt and found a blood chilling sight. Adeline’s helmet, a large cut in the side of it, his heart froze as he picked it up, inside there as blood, her blood.   
            “ADDIE!” he cried, keening now. There had to at least be a body, there just had to be…

            Vertian jumped as he heard a battle cry, running towards it, he felt his heart start and then stop again. Adeline was alive, but she may not be much longer. He recognized his girl, the furious woman with the dark hair loose from its bun and hanging around her face. She was panting, blood dripping into a puddle at her feet as she stood with her spear, the sword attached to its amp. She was cut up, burned, singed, and probably worse, however she was holding out, if only by sheer will alone now.   
            “ADDIE!” he called as he thrust into the Cerberus soldier who was nearest to him. She took her chance to strike while the three other agents looked at Vertian.   
            Her ruthlessness both aroused and sickened Vertian, he had no idea why it did, but it did. Her spear pierced through a man, before she roared and ripped it up and out of him, his body in a frayed half, blood and charred organs falling from him. The next man she was on in seconds, leaving no cleaner mess, her blade moving through him like lightning, before he literally exploded and she ran through the falling man meat.   
            Her last victim tried to run, however he couldn’t get out of reach in time. She used her weapon to stab him through the shoulder and pull him back to her. Taking off his helmet, she revealed the half husk face. “Do dead men tell secrets?” she asked softly.   
            The man shook his head, begging for life, before she forced his mouth open and grabbed his tongue, he tried to bite her, but some sort of burst from her first shattered his teeth. He cried as she forced her fist down his throat. “Not if they have no tongue” she whispered as she grabbed the entire length of it from his throat and ripped it from his body. He fell back onto the ground, convulsing in pain.   
            Coldly, she threw the organ down onto him, before she picked up her spear and pulled a canister from her back. Opening she dumped its contents onto him, Vertian smelled it, Gasoline. He watched, unable to do anything as she walked over to a burning pile of rubble, picked up a long piece of wood with flame on it, and threw it onto the man. He went up instantly, the screaming getting louder as he died a most horrific and painful death.   
            Adeline didn’t look back as she walked her eyes cold and angry as she went right past Vertian. He couldn’t help himself, he knew better than to touch her after she had been pushed past her “civil” point and went into full brutal mode. He’d been so worried however.   
            “Baby” he keened as he grabbed her arm. She instantly rounded on him and tried to jerk away, her cold eyes lighting up again.   
            She snarled at him, her other fist connecting with his head before he let her go and then grabbed her around the waist. She screeched and kicked, but he didn’t let go of her. Searching he found a fire shelter and broke the door open, going inside. Empty, of course, everyone here was either dead or evacuated.   
            Throwing her down, he took off his helmet and looked at her, his mandibles tight to his face. She panted and stared at him, wanting to do nothing more than slaughter him, her mind wasn’t clear enough to remember, he was her mate.   
            “Baby, Addie…” he purred to her. She jumped at him and he dodged, grabbing her face he yanked her forward and kissed her. She struggled for a split second, before she melted into him. The taste and smell of her lover and mate helping her from the blood haze she had felt.   
            “Vertian.” She whispered, her hands going to his wrists, “hard”   
            He let her go with an apologetic whine. She rubbed her head, before grabbing his mandibles and pulling him back into a kiss. “I couldn’t find you, they said they killed you…” she explained between her kisses, he pulled away for a moment and looked at her. She looked at him pleadingly saliva thick on her lips as she yanked at his face.   
            “Baby, we’re in a warzone” he growled at her, unable to hide the fact that he wanted her just as much. He had a dire need for her as much as she did him, he couldn’t even say he wouldn’t have fallen into rage if someone had told him they’d killed her. Foolishly they had probably thought she would crumble and cry… she would have, on top of their mutilated corpses.   
            She whined, pulling him harder to her mouth, he gave in and kissed her. He knew this was dangerous; however… he knew how much she needed it. He may have been willing to wait a little bit until extraction, but she obviously wasn’t. He couldn’t blame her, he couldn’t even bring himself to scold her for this. His mate could have been lost, and this was the first time it had hit him with such a realizing force.


	16. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Porn... oral porn

            It was torture, waiting for her. Vertian was desperately doing his best to keep his sanity as he paced back and forth across their small room. His eyes unfocused as he just wore a trench into the metal floor, he stared out the large window and tried to keep his mind calm. He wanted her, he wanted his mate. He needed her, it was as plain as that, he needed Adeline here, with him, skin to skin; he needed to be all over her, in her, smell nothing but the two of them together.   
            _Now I know why you told me to never find a mate…_ He thought to himself. His brother had said that to him, shortly after his wife had given birth to their second child and nearly died during the birth. The man had been a wreck, but true to form his wife had pulled through. She was his backbone, entire life. Vertian slowed as his mind drifted to his brother, the man was still someone he looked up to. He’d once been a playboy, any female who wanted he’d spend a night with, if possible multiple in a night. It took a fierce Cabal to tame him, and he was head over heels for her. They now had four children, and Vertian was sure they weren’t even close to done, even in a war.   
            He focused in on the holo on his bedside table, which had once been a crate, nothing some power tools didn’t fix. A picture of him and Adeline; she had her cheek firmly to his and had him looking at her omni-tool. Looking up she wore this wide smile, her gold eyes bright. He had an awkward but happy look on his face. He remembered the moment she took that had come running to him; leaping and making him catch her. One would think that slamming into a hard spikey suit of armor would make someone not want to do that.   
            It never slowed Adeline down however; she’d take a running start and then wrap herself around him. They had so many pictures together now, her omni-tool was filled with them, and he had a few on his. Though his were special, moments she didn’t know about.   
            One of her in front of this bright star that had been out their window; she’d looked like she was glowing with soft green light. Another of her fresh out of the shower, combing her hair as she curled up in a chair in the commons, he’d loved the way she seemed so calm and thoughtful. His favorite was when she was fresh out of battle, her face flushed, eyes still on fire. Lastly, the one he would always look at when he wasn’t near her. She was asleep on his chest, nestled into his side and looking so peaceful in her sleep. He didn’t think of himself as a sentimental guy, but Adeline had rubbed off on him a little.   
            He loved her, he loved her so much. However, that’s why he couldn’t ever think of her staying with him, or choosing to remain alone if he died in the war. He didn’t even want to think about it, it hurt so much. The idea of life without her seemed empty and bland; no one to make him smile, no one to make him feel complete, no one to hold him tightly when she could tell he was a little overwhelmed and pour sweet nothings into his ear. “Oh, Addie…” he breathed out as he hugged himself and rested his forehead against the wall.   
            He was about to go and join her in the women’s shower, screw the Asari sisters being in there, he wanted his mate. Luckily, Adeline walked in a moment past the thought and stopped, seeing him look upset.   
            “Honey?” she asked gently. Concerned, she went to him, her hands going to his waist as she looked up at him. “Hunny Bunny, what’s wrong?”  
            Vertian keened softly and pressed his forehead to hers. She pressed back and lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. He held her tightly and sighed, his heart finally calming down now that all he could smell was her. “I needed you.” He whispered.   
            “I just needed a shower.” She muttered to him as she turned her head and pecked at his mouth plates, “I’m sorry.”   
            Vertian shook his head, she didn’t need to apologize. Girls had a lot more to do in a bath than men, he had realized this since being with Adeline, and she could take forever grooming herself. “I love you.” He chuffed at her.   
            She smiled and pressed her nose bridge against his, “I love you.” She replied as he ran her hands up her sides to hold her face. Kissing was good, kissing was amazing, kissing Adeline didn’t compare to anything he’d ever felt before. As strange as the concept was, he was on the bandwagon for this type of affection to become the norm.   
            Adeline sighed into his mouth, her hands falling to his waist and massaging those muscular sides. The fire in her belly from earlier relighting and giving her that slow burn for him between her thighs, how she wanted him. Vertian pulled from the kiss and buried his nose in her neck, with a pleased rumble his hands moved to her thighs, lifting his woman and laying her back on their bed.   
            The weight of him on top of her used to be a little crushing; however it only felt better and better with each passing time. Now she felt safe under his giant form, everything about him was so much larger than her, and he never failed to use their size difference to his advantage, often manipulating her like a plaything.   
            Kissing her again, she held his face to her as his hands gently pulled at her t-shirt, lifting it off her body with no effort. Pulling away from her, he took a moment to look at her bare chest and appreciate what had once been so strange to him. Her small breasts were now an arousing sight to see, if only because he knew how sensitive they were and how when he would tease at the sensitive buts with his talons she would whine at him. From there he looked at her tiny waist and took his own pleasure from that, his talons hooking into those little black shorts and pulling them down.   
            Face flushed Adeline looked at him and stretched her arms above her head, moving her hips for him in an enticing manner. He growled low in his chest and threw the fabric over his shoulder; hands then holding her waist and sliding to her very wide hips. She wasn’t a turian, but he found himself attracted and turned on by her so much more. It had to be because he loved her so much, because her heart cared just as deeply for him.  
            Carefully he gripped her thighs and spread her, looking down at her sex. The scent of her arousal hit him hard and he paused, to reign in his thoughts and continue with his fun. He didn’t usually have the patience to actually have fun with her, she was typically too much of a tease and he literally had to bite his tongue to keep himself from shoving into her before she was fully ready for him sometimes. Leaning down he nuzzled her, earning him a smile and her arms going around his neck, her hands under his fringe and massaging at the tender spot there.   
            She hummed as he kissed her slowly, before nipping at her jaw. He ran his tongue up her throat before tenderly placing his mouth at her throat and giving her a gentle bite. The way her body shuddered encouraged him as he worked his way down. His hands massaged her breasts as he pinched at her nipple with his mouth plates and gently tugged at them, causing her to make a small sound and clench her thighs. He looked up at her and smirked, she returned his look with a huff and a warm smile.   
            “I love you Addie…” he purred at her as he gazed up at her before he licked at her other nipple and slowly dragged his tongue down her stomach.   
            “I love you too Vertian… what are you up to?” she asked as she got up and leaned back on her elbows.   
            He opened her legs again and got on his knees, “I have never repaid you for introducing me to Oral have I?” he asked as he used his thumbs and spread her folds.   
            “Oh... Honey you don’t haa-AH” she gasped as he rolled his long tongue around her clit and looked at her.   
            He laved his tongue over her entire sex slowly before he looked at her again; “I want to.” was all he had to say for Adeline to give up any idea of arguing. She fell back onto the bed and hugged herself as he continued. Her body giving small shivers as he teased at her clit to his leisure.   
            “You’re absolutely dripping baby.” He smirked up at her as he nipped at her thigh, “It’s so sweet, a bit tart… just like you.” He purred at her as her hands went to her face and she hid in them, absolutely red. He chucked as he dipped his tongue into her and she gasped, her hands shooting down to his head. He only pushed his mouth against her however, wanting to get as much of her as he could.   
            She whined and shut her eyes as he slithered his tongue around her insides. Her hands gripping at his fringe as he ground his mouth plate against her clit to encourage more of her honey to flow out, he wanted to bring her over the edge, leave her a mess as she so often did him, and her taste left his head pleasantly clouded. Her stomach clenched as he leaned up and tilted her hips so she could see herself. Slowly he pulled away from her, showing how much of his tongue was inside her, how his saliva and her juices so beautifully had mixed.   
            “Honey” she whined as she watched, the heat from between her legs increasing as the wetness dripped from the tip of his tongue and onto her folds. She shuddered; he pulled his tongue back into his mouth and tasted her fully, watching her reaction. With a pleased hum he brought from her a groan as she wrapped her arms around her head and he shoved his tongue back into her, refusing to stop now until she came.   
            It happened sooner than he thought it would, he’d been unaware at just how much he was stimulating her. She squealed and attempted to buck him off but he held her firmly, his mouth greedily taking in the fluids that came from her. Her spasms slowed and he pulled from her, lapping now at her sex until her shuddering and twitching stopped. She panted and held herself, her eyes glazed over; he pulled back and looked at her.   
            “I can see why you like giving it now.” He purred at her as she opened her arms and reached for him. He went to her, arms holding her small body tightly to his.   
            “You’re too good at that. Bad man.” She whimpered as he rumbled against her and nipped at her jawline and neck. “Evil, horrible, dastardly man.”  
            Vertian chuckled as she told him that, only to pull back and look at her. “But yours.”  
            Adeline simply nodded furiously as she grabbed his mandibles and kissed him, tasting herself on his tongue. “Mine.”


	17. Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> intense porn, hope it's okay.

            She tugged at his shirt desperately, the need for his hide against her skin nearly burning through her. Vertian complied, standing on his knees and pulling off his shirt, her hands already working at his belt and pants.   
            “Eager?” he asked with a smirk.   
            “Shut up and fuck your woman.” Growled Adeline as she got fed up with the clasps and just ripped them open, her hands going for the slightly emerged cock; it only took a few touched from her other hand at his waist before it came to a straight and welcoming stance.   
            “Better?” he asked before a small whine came from his throat; her hand squeezing him tightly as she pumped at it. Greedily she took the head into her mouth, before shifting onto her knees to shove him back. A little more maneuvering and she was now kneeling on a pillow while he sat at the edge of the bed, his left hand on her head as she hungrily sucked at him.   
            “Ugh, Adeline…” he tangled his talons in her hair, “baby that’s so good.” He sighed as she took him further into her mouth and hollowed her cheeks, pulling back and out of her mouth with a loud “pop”.   
            “What? Does my hunky hunny bunny like oral?” she asked.   
            “Hunny Bunny likes it, LIKES IT A LOT!” he cried as she bit at the base of him and then licked up his shaft. “Addie, baby…” he growled as he looked at her.   
            “Do you want to fuck me Vertian? Do you want to fuck my small human pussy and make it all yours again?” she asked as she used her hand to pump at his shaft firmly, “Fill me with all your hot, thick seed and claim me?”   
            Vertian felt his brain give out for a few seconds before he keened at her sucked at the very tip of him. He wanted in her, he wanted to be stretching her tight cunt, have her coming undone and a weeping mess as he fucked her. Adeline giggled as she looked up at his face, her tongue laving up the underside of his cock as she teased.   
            One quick motion his hand was gripping the back of her head and forcing her up to her feet. She whimpered, her hands going to his hand as he held her, thankfully he loosened his grip just slightly and she relaxed. His free hand going to her sex and spreading her folds, a pleased hum escaping him as he moved his fingers and heard the thick wet noises from her core; she was ready.   
            Her hands grabbed his mandibles and pulled him to a feverish kiss, which he returned with a lustful rumble in his chest. Standing he pulled away and threw her forward on the bed, she caught herself and hummed as he yanked her hips back and ground against her. Her sighs and soft moan driving him forward as he finally aligned himself with her opening and shoved, hilting myself within her in one rough move.   
            Adeline gasped and bit her lip as she looked at him from over her shoulder. He rolled his hips, pulling her back against him tightly before he pulled out, only to shove himself back in, growling at her squeal from the tip of him thrusting against her cervix.   
            “Ugh, Honey…” she breathed, “I love it when you fill me, I’m so stretched over your cock.” She whined as he once again pulled out and thrust into her, enjoying the feeling of how her body stretched to accept him. He stood straight then and brought her hips up with him, she gasped, now at his mercy since her knees no long reached the bed. All she could do was trust in his strength as he used her freely to please himself. Which wasn’t all that much of a challenge for him, he was all muscle and his hands fit around her small waist, thumb and forefingers touching as he gave short hard thrusts into her.   
            He dropped to one knee on the mattress after a while, she caught herself barely. Her mild clouded and eyes fogged over, she panted and gave short noises every time the now familiar shape of his tapered cock rammed into her. Her hands fisted the sheets as he moved his finger, now pressing hard on her clit and rubbing at it furiously, she could only bite at the fabric to keep herself from screaming as it drove her overboard.   
            He bent forward, the feeling of her insides gripping him and spasming as she came pulling out his first climax. He set his jaw and swallowed back the roar he wanted to give, still barely conscious of the fact they would be heard if he got loud.   
            Adeline whimpered as he pulled from her and rolled her onto her back, she reached between her legs, filling her stretched opening with her fingers and covering them in his cum; bringing them up and sucking at her fingers she watched him as he pulled off his pants and boots.   
            He growled at her, watching the display before crawling onto his knees on the bed and grabbing her hips once more. Roughly he grabbed her hips, however instead of spearing her, he slowly ground the underside of his shaft against her folds and clit; watching her shiver from the stimulation. She gripped his wrists and gave him a begging look, nothing more than a whine coming from her throat as she then reached for him.   
            He willing came to her, his mouth meeting hers for a very heated kiss before he angled her hips and slid into her, this time much gentler. She moaned into his mouth as he hit home, her arms going around his neck and he supported himself above her with one hand and held her to him with the other. She gladly met his thrusts, long and slow. Together taking the time to hold together for a moment before Vertian could move out and then hit home again, over and over.   
            Moaning his name, Adeline wrapped her legs around his waist and bit into the soft hide of his neck. He growled, his eyes opening for a moment before he closed them tightly and lowered himself onto her. One last slow thrust before he buried his face in her neck, panting and he began the brutal pace once again.   
            Obscene wet sounds from where they were joined, his growling, her barely muffled cries filled their small room as he continuously hilted himself and then pulled out half way. He couldn’t let up, even though it had to be painful. It was however Adeline didn’t care, her mind gone for anything other than the feeling of her large alien lover filling her again.   
            “Fuck, Addie…” he panted as his tongue came out and licked at her throat. He wanted to bite her, he wanted to knot in her and fill her completely, not let her tiny body lose a single drop more. She could only made small nearly pathetic noises that came with each thrust against her core, he found himself unable to contain it. He’d almost lost her, and she was his mate, he was already tied to her… would she hate him if she knew? Would she be upset if he marked her?   
            No, she wouldn’t, Vertian knew it. She merely had to squeeze his cock with her insides and all coherent thought on the matter left him. He snarled and then opened his mouth against the flesh where her neck and shoulder met. A handful of hard thrusts, his finger going for her other hole and pushing in and she screamed, her legs kicking and toes curling from the intensity of which he came. He pushed in, holding himself as he felt his knot finally begin to grow, sealing him and his seed inside her. Forcefully, he sunk his teeth into her flesh and held onto her as he ground against her.   
            Stars were in the back of his eyes as he filled her, his orgasm so intense he was still coming after several moments. The taste of her blood in his mouth and how she was gasping kept him going, her thighs still shaking from the feeling of him filling her beyond her limits and his bite. He pushed his finger into her deeper and curled it, her warble making him grind against her again. Adeline arched into him and clawed at the plates and flesh on his back, completely overwhelmed by everything as she gasped.   
            He gently and slowly pulled his finger from her ass, before he unhinged his jaw and pulled away. He lifted himself just a little to look at her face. She had tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes wide and face flushed. Her mouth hung open as she finally looked at him, her arms falling next to her head and finally letting her chest heave.   
            The look of his face, his mouth dripping in her blood, how her shoulder stung and her insides felt painfully full. She was unsure what to think, her mouth just gaped at him still in shock from the intensity of it all.   
            “Adeline?” he asked softly, absolutely terrified he had made a bad move there. Even worse, he was in her for a long while to come.


	18. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ouch... all the feels. 
> 
> To those who don't know. If you love someone, don't push them away...

            It took several moments for Adeline to gather her mind. Finally she managed to close her mouth and lick at her dry lips. “Please tell me this has some sort of meaning other than you wanting to hurt me.”   
            Vertian lifted his head; he had been resting it on the mattress next to her, doing his best, and failing, to not thrust lightly against her. He was still filling her, and he knew it had to be painful, considering he could feel her abdomen just barely start to stretch against his stomach.   
            “It does, Adeline, Baby you know I would never hurt you.” He told her softly as he panted, trying to reel in the urge to keep thrusting and lick at her wound.   
            “Start explaining then, because things hurt right now.” She whimpered as her arms went around him again.   
            He sighed and finally gave into licking at the bite mark that was now burning on her skin. “I marked you… as mine.” He said sheepishly.   
            “That means… what?”   
            “Any turian who looks at you will know you’re seriously with a turian.”   
            “Will they know it’s you specifically?” she asked as she pressed her cheek against his and tried to find some comfort. “And why are you still coming?! I’m too full! Pull out!”   
            “I can’t!” he whined, “I um… Knotted.”   
            “You what? Like a dog?!?”   
            “Huh? No… um… were you a turian, this would probably end up with you pregnant.” He whispered, clearly embarrassed beyond belief. “Adeline, I will only love you, only you; for the rest of my life; even when you find someone else. It’ll only be you for me.”   
            “Stop saying I’m going to find someone else!” she hissed as her fist slammed down onto his shoulder. “I’m not leaving you Honey, Ever! I love you, heart and soul, I’m completely yours. Stop being stupid and stubborn and just accept that!” she yelled at him as she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.   
            “I shouldn’t have marked you, I’m so sorry…” he managed to get out instead of the keen he so badly wanted to.   
            “Shut up! Just… shut up” she whimpered as she tried to hold back to tears. She thrust his head away and forced him onto his back. “Do you love me?”  
            “All my heart, body, and soul.”  
            “Then why don’t you want to be with me!?”  
            “Because you need better! One of your own! So you can have that family!” he yelled back as she stared at him, her lip quivering. “We can’t have the life you want.”   
            “Why?”   
            “Because that’s just not how things work out!”   
            Adeline tried to lift herself off him but whimpered at the pain, he held her hips, “Don’t force it.”   
            “Shut up.” She bit as tears rolled down her face and she punched his chest. He held the pained muscle in him before he watched her grit her teeth and pull him from her. She cried out and finally lifted off him with a loud wet pop. He was mildly grossed out at just how much of his cum came from her, but more concerned when she fell off the bed and tried to stand, her legs not working.   
            “Baby!” he gasped as he moved and scooped her up. She pushed his face away and forced him to drop her on the bed.   
            “Don’t touch me!” she sobbed throwing a pillow at him as soon as she could. “Don’t! You mark me like I’m yours but you don’t love me enough to even want a forever with me!” she snarled, her eyes burning at him with such a rage. He’d only seen her look at reapers that way, it hurt on the deepest of levels to have it turned on him.   
            “Addie…” he tried but she threw another at him. “Addie! I do love you, more than you can imagine!”  
            “YOU’RE SUCH A LIAR!” she screamed at him. He froze and just looked at her in shock. “You have been lying this whole time! This entire time! I was just another fuck to you, were you so desperate to get laid you had to lie to a human?” she asked while the pain and sadness she felt poured from her in a rage.   
            “I didn’t lie, It’s not a lie.” He tried, but her look silenced him.   
            “I hate you; I hate you for making me love you and then doing this to me. I honestly love you, I don’t want anyone but you and all you do is push me away!” she covered her mouth and looked away from him.   
            Vertian looked at his feet and clenched his jaw. “I can’t make you happy, I never will be able to Adeline, please understand.”  
            “I understand, it’s all just a lie. A farce you came up with to make the war a little more tolerable. Make the small angry human love you with everything she had left, fuck her until you get bored, then just leave.” She shook as she cried, “Happy? You broke me. You were the one who finally did it! Ha Ha! It took a giant alien scumbag to break the unbreakable Adeline green.” She snarled.   
            Vertian looked at her and felt his chest go cold, his heart fall and shatter. He said nothing more as he picked up his pants, redressed and left.   
            Adeline just held herself and cried her head on the mattress as she pulled the blanket around her. She’d given him every last ounce of love and goodness in her… and he’d destroyed it. He’d pushed her past the breaking point.


	19. Rubble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don't hate me!

            She jerked her arm from him, he dropped his hand and simply stared at her before his gaze went to the rubble at his feet.   
            He watched her not react as Evans slapped her ass, the piece of concrete in his hand being crushed from the rage he felt.   
            She stared at his back, tears welling in her eyes before she turned her head just in time to miss seeing him look at her.   
            He curled up into a small ball on their bed, hugging himself as he thought about how cold and alone he felt.   
            She sobbed into Kala’s chest as Eiru hugged her tightly from behind, once again trying to comfort their friend’s broken heart.   
            He drank a cup of kava and stared out the common room window while he softly keened to himself, unable to contain it.   
            She hid in the hallway and held her face, hearing him keen causing her to silently scream into her hands from the pain.   
            He missed her.  
            She missed him.   
            He wanted to die.  
            She didn’t care that Evans had just slapped her and grabbed her hips.   
            He sat in cover and just held his head as bullets whizzed past him and he fought every urge to take off his helmet, shut off his shields and let them rip through him.   
            She tore through everything and anything in her path, screaming in rage and not caring that she looked like a monster, covered from head to toe in the blood of her enemies, just gold eyes glaring and full of hatred under the black sludge that was reaper blood.

            Adeline finally didn’t pull away when he gently brushed his hand against hers. She turned and looked up at him, eyes wide and watery as she fought tears on the shuttle back.   
            Vertian turned and looked at her, his green eyes trying to tell her everything he couldn’t get out verbally because his throat was so tight.   
            Slowly, tentatively, she gripped his thumb with her pinky and then turned away from him. He gave a weak smile before resting his head against the hull. It wasn’t fixed, but at least now they knew that they both wanted each other back. End week one post breakup.   
            Start week two, Adeline rounded on Evans as he came up behind her and grabbed her hips, forcing them back into his crotch. Vertian crushed his coffee cup as he saw it and started growling. She looked at him and he looked at her, turning away embarrassed as he got down on all fours to pick up the pieces of ceramic. She thrust her elbow back into Evan’s face and snarled at him to get lost.   
            Vertian stood in front of Kala as she kept him from seeing Adeline. He held in his hands a little box of oranges and just held them out to her. “For Addie, please?” he asked gently, not fighting, not meeting Adeline’s eyes as she was held tightly by Eiru. Kala sighed and took the box, sending him away. They held Adeline as she stuffed her face with them and sobbed, wailing how much she loved him. End week two post break up.   
            Start week three, Vertian stood in front of the fridge in shock. He held the door open and looked at the pot with a note on it   
  
            _Eat you leadhead, you won’t be able to stay strong if you don’t. –Addie_

            He keened and hit his head against the top of the fridge, his hand going to his chest as he finally lost control over his sadness. Kal’Reegar walked up to him and guided him away from the fridge, settling him down at the table while he heated up the vox stew Adeline had made for her turian. Kal'Reegar sat with him as he wailed and keened, just saying over and over again how he was stupid and how he loved her. Kal'Reegar could only pat the slightly younger man’s back and listen to him.   
            She rammed her forehead into Evan’s nose as he tried to corner her against Vertian’s work station. She didn’t need to speak as he looked at her. When his hand connected with her face she snarled and punched him. He leaned over her as he finally pinned her against a crate, told her he would get to fuck her. She threw her heel up and hit him in the back of the head. She slammed her foot down on his chest and growled that she belonged to only one man, and that wasn’t him. End week three post breakup.   
           Start week four post breakup. Adeline gasped as she was side swiped by something huge and hit the ground; the missile that had been aimed at her missing because the familiar and comforting weight of Vertian covered her from the blast. Her arms slid under his and held him on top of her longer than she should have, but damn her if she didn’t miss him.   
            He rumbled for her and gently thumped his helmet against hers before he pulled away and reached up, making his screen clear. He gave her a soft look before smirking, with that he darkened the screen again and flew off. Adeline felt herself blush before she bit her laugh and smiled to herself softly. End week four post breakup.

            Start week five, Vertian stood towering over her, his expression soft as they took shelter from the acid rain on Benning. She took off her helmet and looked up at him just as softly. She took a step forward and he leaned down. For the first time in over a month, they kissed. Adeline moved her arms around his neck and he dropped his helmet to hold her face. It started slow, a few pecks, before she sought his tongue and he gave it to her, purring happily as she nosed against him.   
            Vertian pulled away for a second and looked at her, giving a breathless laugh as he looked into her gold eyes. “Addie… I’m the stupidest man alive.” he breathed out.   
            She giggled and held his face, her thumbs tracing the wheat gold markings on his face, “I know, but I still love you, and only you.” She smiled as she pushed her head against his and sighed contently. He tilted his head and kissed her, his hands moving to her waist and pulling her against him. She was still his, just as he would only be hers.   
            Movement caught his eye as he began to pull away. He moved on instinct and threw Adeline to the side as the brute charged at him and threw them both out the third story doorway of their shelter. Vertian landed first, winded before the brute came down onto him and crushed his ribs, he felt it snap inside it. He bit back the pain as he rolled away, using his thrusters to get some distance. They gave out from the acid rain and he fell from ten feet up. Rolling he stood and pulled out his assault rifle, emptying a clip into the brute as it charged at him again.   
            “VERTIAN!” cried Adeline as she looked out the doorway at him. Disappearing, she then flew from the shelter and hit the opposite dwelling a floor lower, from there she jumped down and rolled, pulling out her shotgun.   
            “STAY BACK ADDIE!” he called while taking a glance at her. The brute charged again and Vertian tried and failed to get out of the way in time. Getting thrown back and against a pillar, he groaned as he held his chest and looked just in time to see the brute throw a car at him. He rolled away, only to look up just in time to see a home come crashing down.   
            Adeline stood in horror and watched, the last thing he did was look at her with wide eyes before it all fell down on top of him. Her gaze turned towards the brute that now focused in on her, her brows furrowed and face clearly angry as she lifted her shotgun and fired it. She marched forward, continuously firing the weapon at the brute as he charged at her. Her last round and she just dropped it, pulling her sword off her back. Her enemy kept charging before she swung her sword and slid under the now headless body just barely rolling over her.   
            She was angry, she wanted to hack into it, she wanted to dismember and main the corpse. However she scrambled up and ran to the pile of rubble, hyperventilating as she yanked and pulled at the large amounts of concrete that were over her Vertian.   
            “Please.” She whispered as she dug, tearing through her gloves, ignoring the acid rain that was now starting to eat through her suit. “Honey, please…”   
            “You can’t leave me, I just got you back. Honey, you can’t. We have to get married.” She grunted as she kicked a large beam with all her strength and finally saw his armor. “We have to get married, and have babies. Adopt lots of babies, all boys, little turian boys to make my hair go white and your plates fade.” She sobbed as she finally found his face.   
            “Honey…” she choked as she stared at him.


	20. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'm not that cruel

            Her scream on despair rang across the desolate neighborhood. Prax, the closest was the first one to arrive, “ADDIE!?” he roared before he jumped down and ran to her, seeing Vertian he stopped and stared, before sniffling and pushing her aside, his strength much more than hers as he lifted and threw the rubble off his friend.  
            “You can’t die!” he grunted as he lifted a piece of concrete as large as him and threw it several feet. “You promised to take me to Omega when this was over!” he grunted before he wiped his nose on his sleeve and tried not to tear up. “You promised that if you and Addie got married you’d invite me for cake…” he whispered.  
            Kala dropped from above, followed quickly by her sister, they turned and both of them gasped. “Call Mr. Kreps and Captain Kal Eiru!” whispered the slightly older of the sisters as she dove next to the turian and started scanning him.  
            Adeline barely was able to pull herself onto her knees, she felt heavy, slow, like she was being pulled down as she crawled to her turian and slid into the crater to be with him. She gently lifted his head and pulled it into her lap. “Honey… please.” She pleaded as she bent down and put her head against his. She spoke a silent prayer.

_God? Turian spirits? Please listen to me, don’t take him. It’s not his time, he’s still young, and has a whole life to live. With me or someone else, preferably me. He’s mine, I’d gladly take his place a million times over if he’d ever let me, but we all know he wouldn’t. Give him back, please, give me back my Hunky Hunny Bunny…_

            She continued to pray, not lifting her head up once as Kal'Reegar and Evans showed up. Kala got frustrated with her omni-tool which was going haywire from the rain and growled in frustration. She was hopeless without it, screaming angry curses at the rain as she looked at her Captain. Her voice underwater to Adeline as she demanded they rush him to the nearest hospital. Eiru was climbing up the stacked homes and holding a flare in her teeth, to come in and wave Mr. Kreps down to them.  
           Prax was wringing his hands as he looked scared and worried, he was barely an adult Krogan, and he had just discovered what it was like to have friends, even a family. Everyone here, but Evans, was family. The Krogan then watched as the shuttle landed expertly in the small space and Prax walked over to Adeline. “May I…” he drifted off, feeling stupid for asking, but at the same… this woman had cared for him and saved him so many times. Her mate was probably dead… and if he wanted to try and help he needed to take him into the shuttle.  
            Adeline looked up at Prax and sniffled, before she nodded and let him take Vertian’s body. She got up and stumbled a bit but followed closely. Right onto the floor of the shuttle is where she fell, exactly where she went back to holding his head and trying not to sob. Her captain came in and traded places with the pilot. Mr. Kreps walking over to her and kneeling down, his omni-tool scanning what everyone was assuming was a corpse.  
            “Adeline, Child… you are not a widow yet.” He croaked as the shuttle lifted off the ground. “Mr. Pelacis here still lives, if just barely, seems his spirits are reluctant to take someone who has a mate to plead for him.”  
            Adeline looked at him, inhaling shakily before speaking, “What?”  
            “You were praying… were you not?” he asked. “Whoever heard you, is listening, and giving you what you wished for. Everyone forgets that the galaxy is far too big for it to only be science. Something, someone watches over all of us somewhere.” He spoke before beginning to repair Vertian’s suit to administer some medigel.  
            Adeline looked down at him, her fingers tracing over the wheat gold markings and caressing his jaw. She gave a shaky breath before she started to cry; finally letting her emotions out as she sobbed.  
            “What does it mean, Mate?” she asked after a few moments.  
            Mr. Kreps looked at her and gave a weak smile, “Some turians find true love, they only mate and bond with that one person that they gave their entire heart to. Mr. Pelacis chose you Miss Green, to him you are his one and only.”  
            Adeline just nodded and stroked his face, sniffling. “He’s mine… even if he’s too thick skulled to understand that.” She then choked on a sob and touched her forehead to his.  
            “Yes, well, while Mr. Pelacis is smart… he’s not attuned to the needs of others as you are. Remember this, and you two shall balance each other out.” He laughed as he finally sat back on his knees. “Now, back to Aurora, then off to Citadel… only place he has a true shot of surviving.”  
            Adeline nodded, she knew it would be a little bit before they could really take off; five of her team were still down there. Luckily she knew Mr. Kreps would triple time it to get there in time.  
            “Please hold on Honey… come back to me.” She pleaded as she nuzzled her head against his and continued to cry silently.


	21. Leadhead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TAKE THE FLOOFS!

_Addie?_  
            Baby?  
            Why are you crying?  
            Adeline?  
            Vertian didn’t know what was going on, he could see his mate, and she was bent over crying on something. As he walked closer he froze, it was him. He had blue blood leaking through the cracks of his armor, his left arm looked massacred, his chest almost flat. Then he remembered, the brute, the building, Adeline’s face as it all came down on him and it went black.  
            “No…No fucking way!” he snarled as he tried to run to her, slamming flat into something unseen. Growling in frustration he took a few steps back and charged at it. Continuing his assault all he could. He paused as he heard Adeline though.

            _Please don’t leave me Honey…_  
            “Baby! Addie I’m here! I’m not going anywhere!” he screeched as he looked at them again and snarled pulling his fist back and hitting the barrier once more.  
            _We were supposed to survive, get married, have a family…_  
            Vertian rested his head on the unseen blockage and keened softly, “We will, we’re gonna make it, I’m not leaving!” he swore before he pulled his head back and rammed it against the force, like he knew his mate would have. It cracked.  
            _Live somewhere with lots of nature, all grass, trees, and we’d grow flowers…_  
            “Peonies, pink and white.” He panted as he hit the crack, “Hydrange-what’s it’s. Blue, green, and lilac...” he leaned forward on his knees and took a breath before charging at the barrier, it cracked and indented. “… and Lunar blossoms! Because I like how they smell and they’re almost as beautiful as you!” he screamed as he charged again.  
            _I love you so much, all my heart, I could never be anyone else’s girl…_  
            Vertian touched his mouth and found blue blood coming from it. He hurt all over as if he’d been smashed. “You won’t, Oh Adeline I love you more than anything and I always have. I’m not going to let anyone else have you. I’m a greedy mother fucker!” he roared as he charged once more and finally fell through.

            Vertian gasped, his chest was killing him, probably literally. Opening his eyes he was blinded by white, before his senses kicked in. The soft sounds of beeping, the smell of antiseptic and hospital, a sweeter scent he found to be floral. One more, a scent he knew very well and he hoped it was really there.  
            Achingly he turned and looked at the face of his mate, asleep on the edge of the bed and gripping his hand tightly. “Baby…” he whispered as he saw her and smiled. It hurt to smile, but he couldn’t hold it back. Mandibles flared widely as he barely moved his thumb against her knuckles. “I love you.” He breathed out as he heard the door open and he looked over.  
            “Ah, I see you’re awake.” Said an Asari nurse as she walked over, her voice was quiet. “You must be a lucky man, that woman ploughed through a whole team of security guards to get to you. Commander Shepard herself had to step in. The Miss here wasn’t leaving your side.” she smiled as she checked on him.  
            “How long?” he croaked.  
            “Mmm, almost three days, you’re going to be in here at least a month though. I’m honestly surprised you’re even awake, but then again… you do have a girl waiting for you.” She giggled.  
            Vertian smirked weakly, “My. Mate.” He managed to get out.  
            The nurse looked at him and then nodded, understanding, “Ohhh, well then, that explains it. Turians heal faster when their mates are near. If they find one that is, my are you lucky.” She added as she took a blanket from a cupboard and threw it over Adeline, “She’s constantly freezing, but I can’t get her to leave you. Maybe when she wakes up you could convince her on at least a hot shower and change of clothes?”  
            Vertian nodded and went back to looking at Adeline. He was so happy inside, and he’d be purring if it literally didn’t make his chest feel like it was on fire. Adeline was here, with him, she still loved him and wanted to be with him. He smiled softly at her before he closed his eyes and went back to resting, not even noticing that he was pulled back into a comfortable sleep.

            He didn’t wake up again for quite some time, long enough for Adeline to be convinced to take a shower. She dressed in the clothes Kala and Eiru had dropped off, the white dress she’d bought with him and the little flats that matched, her hair clean and falling loose, hanging to her mid back now.  
            Adeline now sat, next to him in a chair and was crocheting. It was a useless skill to know, however it was worth it now that she was working on a blanket for her stupid invalid boyfriend. Quietly she hummed as she looped and pulled together the mixed shades of green and relaxed next to him, as long as she could hear his heart monitor she could calm down enough to at least do something.  
            “Addie?” asked Vertian as he heard humming and began to wake up.  
            Adeline stopped and looked at him, “I’m here honey.” she cooed at him as she put down her project and gripped his hand. He instantly held it and opened his eyes to look at her.  
            He grinned, “Best thing to wake up to… your face” he mumbled. “Are you okay?” he then asked.  
            She smiled and wiped her cheeks, having been tearing, “I’m just fine, missing my giant leadhead holding me and us sleeping together. That’s all.”  
            Vertian chuckled and hissed in pain, “I wouldn’t mind you crawling in.”  
            “Maybe later then, I’m freezing and you look like you want a snuggle.”  
            “Snuggles sound good, Hunny Bunny likes it when his Alluring Adeline is right up against him.” he sighed. She gently touched his face and leaned in, pecking at his mouth plates.  
            “Let’s not fight anymore, okay? No more saying I need to be with a human. Mr. Kreps explained to me what it means to be a turian’s ‘mate’ you’re busted, I know.” She told him firmly, her hand now stroking over his fringe.  
            He groaned and turned his head away, “No… now I look all sentimental and weak.”  
            “I hate to break it to you my darling, but you were sentimental the moment you kept that shit doodle I drew on a napkin.” she smiled, “And you’re never weak, always my strong, masculine, amazing turian man.”  
            “Eh…” he sighed before turning back to look at her, “I just want you to be happy, deliriously so.” He painfully chuffed.  
            Adeline rubbed his chest and he sighed contently, the comfort of her hand on him better than any pain killer, “I am happy with you. I always have been. As long as you weren’t going on about how I will someday leave you.” she sighed.  
            “What about having kids? We can’t do that…” he whispered and nuzzled into her hand, “I can’t give you children Addie.”  
            Adeline sighed and looked at him with an exasperated glare. “Then we adopt. We’ll figure it out if we, together, decide we want kids. I am a thousand percent sure though, that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”  
            Vertian looked at her, “Are you sure you don’t want to birth your own kids?”  
            “Honey… I can’t have children. My body wouldn’t be able to support the baby.” She whispered to him as she leaned in and rested her head against his.  
            “Why?”  
            “Because of what I went through, everything I’ve been through. Babies shouldn’t be having babies honey; I was twelve when I gave birth. Then with the poor nutrition I went through and some of the abuse I faced while on my own… my body just kinda gave out on the reproduction thing. I could get pregnant, but it would be very hard on me, and I may not survive birth.” She explained, “Neither would the baby. So why risk it? Why possibly lose two lives when I could live and save other little lives that need a mother?”  
            Vertian just looked at her, his expression sad. He wanted to keen for her, but it hurt. “Oh Addie…” he breathed out. “I’m so sorry.”  
            “I’m not, it happened, but I’m alive. I lived and got to meet you. Whoever is looking out for us up there, they did me a big favor by leading me to my soul mate, My Mate.” She grinned at him.  
            “I’m your mate?” he asked, a little shocked.  
            “Mmhmm.” She smiled, “You’re the only one for me. Everything about you I adore, and I can’t see my life without you.”  
            “That’s good…” was all he could get out as he started to drift. “…Addie?”  
            “Yes Vertian? My most beloved man.” She asked as she stroked his fringe and comforted him.  
            “I love you.” He sighed before his breathing slowed and he went back to sleep.  
            Adeline smiled, “I love you too, leadhead.”


	22. Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some floofs before I bring in some more drama

            Vertian was a little restless, but he found that being able to just sleep and eat and rest to be something he was enjoying. As much as he liked doing his duty, being a good soldier and man for the galaxy… he was tired. It’d been over a month since he’d slept well, Adeline having been the only thing that made him sleep well. He was so used to her small soft body in his arms at night that for all the period they weren’t together he didn’t sleep.   
            Now, he still had a little trouble getting to sleep, but Adeline rarely left his side. Aside from showers and bathroom breaks she was always there. Huerta hospital only letting her stay because Vertian was adamant that she had to be. He wasn’t comfortable or even able to rest unless she was in the room; a specific incident had proven that.   
            When a security guard had threatened her with a lawsuit she’d had to leave, they didn’t have the energy to deal with that. However he had decreased in stability quickly after she left. Proving that turians needed their mates when ill, upset, or injured in any way, the Asari nurse and his Salarian doctor got her the clearance and now she was permanently there.

            He’d been in there four days now, and he was happy that he was healing quickly. Especially since he could now move his left hand and reach up to touched Adeline as she sat in the chair by his bedside. Purring softly, he ran his talons through her long hair and tucked it behind her ear.   
            She smiled but didn’t look up from her project. “Yes my love?” she asked sweetly.   
            Vertian hummed happily and chuffed at her, “I love you. I love you so much.” He grinned and purred louder, only to cough and then groan, his hand going to his chest and keening softly.   
            Adeline quickly stood and set aside her work, seconds and she was rubbing his chest plates and nuzzling him. It’d been advised to lay on the affection thick, she was more than happy to do so. “I love you too, now calm down. I’m not leaving you alone, I’m right here, you can get all touchy feely and make up for a month apart after you are cleared to even walk.” She grinned while touching her lips to his fringe.   
            “But…” Vertian started before he looked a little sad, “…I need you.” He muttered as he looked up at her. “I just, I need to touch you. I don’t understand it, but I need to.” spoke the love bucket with a pleading tone. “Just lay with me, please? You’re small… it won’t hurt me.”   
            She sighed and looked at him as if he was hopeless. “Alright.” she sighed as she slipped off her shoes and then crawled in. He chuffed at her happily as she slid in under the covers and settled her head on his shoulder. Vertian then rested his mandible on top of her head and sighed contently.   
            “I missed this.” He muttered after a few quiet moments. Adeline made an agreeing noise as she put her arm around his broad chest. He really was so much larger than her; she came up maybe to his chest. He’d shamelessly admit that he had missed her arm across him, hell he’d missed her presence more than he could explain.   
            Vertian then pressed his mouth plates to her head and was starting to lull himself back to sleep. The warm feeling of her next to him, her cold little body cooling his overheated skin, it was better than he remembered. The feeling of her on him, the barely there weight making him feel secure. Her scent especially soothing him on so many levels, all of this combined was home. That was the only feeling he could compare it to. How Adeline was home for him.   
            She smiled gently and snuggled into him, having missed him just as much. Vertian was a leadhead, but he was hers. He was the only person she knew she would ever love. He moved his arm to hold her to him and she pulled up the covers on the both of them over her shoulder. Settling she toyed with the idea of sleeping, actually sleeping, unlike she had been just grabbing an hour here or there.   
            He was already drifting again, between the medication and the now comforted feeling; he was ready to just sleep. He gave her a loving chuff and moved his head so he could press his forehead to hers. Adeline happily returned it before straining and pecking at his mouth plates. He gently nipped her in return and then smiled softly. No other words were exchanged as he settled and let sleep take him. Adeline quickly followed and fell slowly into her own slumber while rubbing his chest plates and bringing forth a purr from her lover’s chest.

            The Asari nurse that was constantly caring for Vertian walked in and froze. Only to smile softly and moved to close the curtain that surrounded them. She could come back late, a purring happy turian was one that healed quickly and well. Besides, they were cute.


	23. Meet My Mate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *le Gasp* I wrote, doood I do gud?

            “Vertian!” gasped Adeline as he purred at her, his large hands having pulled her to straddle his lap. “Honey! You have to rest, you shouldn’t be doing anything straining.” She sighed as he gripped her hips and smirked up at her.   
            “What’s so straining about wanting to make love to my Mate?” he asked sweetly as he reached up and cupped her face, “You’re never the cause of strain Baby.”   
            Adeline sighed and removed his hands from her, slithering off his lap and standing next to the bed, her hands going on her very ample hips. “Honey, please, I know you’re pent up and all… horny… But you have to get better.” She pleaded while pulling the blanket she had made him over him and tucking him in. “So Rest.”   
            He sighed heavily, “I have rested a lot, I need to do something! I’d rather it was you, but if I have to I’ll start getting up and going exploring.” He grumbled. He wasn’t lying, he felt just fine. He’d been healing at an amazing pace because he had Adeline there, the happy feelings she gave him sped up his recovery at astonishing levels. He wasn’t cleared to leave the hospital, but he was able to sit up now.   
            His mate gave him a scowl and he just gave her a happy grin, his eyes going soft and loving. There wasn’t anything in this universe he loved more than her, and he knew now for certain he was loved just as much by her. What about that wouldn’t make someone feel amazing inside and out? Adeline Green loved him with all her heart, and he loved her so much he’d bound himself to her. She was it, his one and only for the rest of their days, as little or as much as they had of those left.   
            “When you are cleared to get out of here then I will let you have your way with me. As much, as long, and hard as you want.” She bargained with him, “Besides, once they clear you here, Captain is making us stay two more weeks here, to make sure you’re fine. I’m going to book us a hotel.”   
            “I’d want to make love to you, long, slow, and knot you…” he admitted as his neck heated up and probably flushed blue a bit. “Mark you… if you’d let me…”   
            “Maybe, I don’t know about letting you sink those teeth into me again…” winced Adeline as she put her hand on where a scar would have been had she not treated it correctly. “If you’re careful, and let me do the same to you… I’ll think about the biting part. I am all for the meaning behind it honey, but that hurt.” She explained.   
            Vertian understood that she was happy being his mate, just probably not with a painful moment. It was that she just didn’t like pain during sex and he couldn’t blame her; with what she’d been through he was more than understanding and avoided it as much as he could. However sometimes it happened… there was a major size difference.   
            “Okay, I understand… I would still like everyone to know my intentions for you though…”   
            “Which are?”   
            “I want to marry you.”   
            Adeline looked at him softly, “I want that too, when everything settles yeah? When we can all come out of all of this and we can make ourselves a life free of war.”  
            “Yeah.” Smiled Vertian softly.   
            Her smile made his heart give a long missed flutter that he hadn’t realized had once been a normal feeling. He’d almost thrown away the most amazing thing to ever happen to him. She wasn’t a turian, but spirits… she was his. Adeline Green was his mate, he knew this inside himself.

            “WHERE IS MY BABY BOY?!!?” came a loud screeching from the hall, along with incredibly loud subvocals of worry, anger, panic, and distress.   
            “Oh no…” gasped Vertian as he looked at the door and then to Adeline. He was not ready for this; he was not ready to take on the challenge of introducing her to his family. He wanted her to meet them; of course, he was going to marry this girl someday. His family? Specifically his parents? This was not a good time for this.   
            “What in the spirits…?” asked Adeline as she smoothed out the blanket on him. Straightening she began to walk over to the door before it slammed open.   
            “VERTIAN! MY BABY!” wailed a female turian loudly as she rushed over to the large male’s side and threw her arms around his neck, her head pressing firmly to his as she gave off the most ear mangling keen Adeline had ever heard.   
            Vertian just sat stiffly, wide eyed, his mandibles close to his face as he tried desperately to gather himself and prepare for what he knew was imminent.   
            “Hi mom…” he said weakly.   
            Mother Pelacis stepped back and held her hands over her mandibles, looking at her youngest son sadly, “What happened to you? Oh my baby!” she wailed as she ran her hand over his fringe. Vertian’s mother was a beauty by Turian standards: incredibly bright green eyes, soft rose colored plates over chocolate hide. Her mandibles were more squared than pointed and sharp, but they were very soft and delicate looking. Her waist was tiny, and her highs and hips extremely shapely, even for a turian.   
            “Got Smooshed…” shrugged Vertian as he sighed and just let her touch him. He loved his mother, of course he did… but he wasn’t exactly comfortable with either of his parents touching him so intimately, since they were pretty much the reason he had low self-esteem.   
            “Oh? What’s a human doing in here?” asked a low voice as a very large, still nowhere near Vertian’s size thought, turian came into the room holding two cloaks over his arm. He had to be Vertian’s father. Mr. Pelacis had very similar coloring to Vertian, however he was a little more in the silver blue side than Vertian’s more earthy green and brown tones; his eyes a very striking tangerine. He had to be older, as his plates were more dull than Vertian’s and there was a little more greying and loss of pigment on his fringe. “Hello son.” He chirped.  
            “Dad…”   
            “So Who is this?”  
            “Erm…”  
            Adeline just calmly walked over to Vertian and put her hand on his arm gently. The look she gave him said it was okay for him to deny their relationship. She’d understand.   
            Vertian looked back at her and scowled, he was not going to deny them being together, he loved her with all of his being. Her look told him that he should be careful, as he wasn’t as strong as he wanted to believe he was. This was true, he was still hurting, and while he no longer struggled to do normal things, like go to the bathroom on his own and stand up, sit up, eat meals… he wasn’t ready to handle the stress of all this.   
            That didn’t matter to Vertian however; he was not going to deny that he was bonded to Adeline. He’d tied himself to her, there was no point in hiding it. She loved him just as deeply, Vertian had no doubts about that any longer, she wouldn’t have wanted him back if she didn’t. This woman was his soulmate, and eventually, she’d be his wife.   
            He reached and took her hand, their fingers lacing in that strange way, “This is Adeline Green… my mate.”


	24. The Parents

            Both Mr. and Mrs. Pelacis stood in shock and looked between Adeline and Vertian. Mrs. Pelacis’ face then growling angry as she turned her sharp eyes to Adeline, “What witchcraft have you put on my son to make him mate to a human?!” she snarled. Clearly angry with it.   
            Mr. Pelacis put a hand on his wife’s shoulder and simply looked Adeline up and down, his face moving from curious, to approving, to extremely interested. Adeline looked at him and looked him up and down before taking a step closer to Vertian’s side and letting him put one long arm around her waist and hold her possessively.   
            “I did no such thing!” snapped Adeline as she looked down at Vertian and ran her hand over his fringe. He looked up at her, completely in love and purring happily as her tiny hand went over his mottled fringe. “I fell in love… we did.”   
            “That’s right, I just…” he shrugged sheepishly and gave them a shameless, wide grin. “Mom, Dad… she’s amazing, really! There isn’t anything you two can do about it, I already bonded to her. She’s my one and only.”   
            Mrs. Pelacis was fuming, “You bonded, fully bonded with a HUMAN?!” she asked as she punched his head. Vertian keened softly at the impact and Adeline pulled his head to her chest, her eyes glaring at Mrs. Pelacis.   
            “Touch my mate again and I will end you! His mother or not!” she snarled as Vertian just let her hold him to her, his eyes wide as he listened to her stand fearlessly up to his mother. Not even his father would dare to do that.   
            “Your MATE?!” she roared, “You hussie… Humans can’t mate. They don’t know what it means to have the very soul of themselves tied to another! You can’t do that! I won’t let this happen!”   
            “WELL TOO FUCKING BAD!” screamed Adeline as she stared the female turian down. “He’s mine, I’m his, end of story.” her voice firm as she looked down at her mate. Vertian was too far lost in the fact she had openly declared him as hers and was happily purring and resting her head in her breasts.   
            “My flower, maybe we should consider the plus sides to this?” asked Mr. Pelacis as he purred into his mate’s ear. “Vertian is happy, for once he did something on his own and he obviously had fine taste.”   
            “Stop it Verdante, just because you’re interested in expanding our bedroom festivities to include Vertian’s mate doesn’t mean I am.” She hissed.   
            “What?” asked Vertian as he sat straight, “Oh hell no. No fucking way, I will strip myself of the entire clan if you come near her!”   
            “I’m sure your mate would like to experience what it’s like with a turian who’s had much more… practice.” smirked Mr. Pelacis as he nipped at his mate’s bondmark. Mrs. Pelacis melted against him and he smiled.   
            “No, thanks, I’m good… got all I need right here, all this giant hunny bunny is mine.” said Adeline flatly as she scoffed at his father.   
            “No, Vertian! Please understand… a human just isn’t the right kind of match for someone of your status!” cried Mrs. Pelacis as she went to her son’s face and held it. “Baby boy! We’ve always just wanted what was best for you… a human certainly isn’t. You can’t even have children with her, what are you going to do about that? The Clan…” she sighed sadly as she begged him with her eyes.   
            Vertian was visibly struggling under his mother’s gaze as he started keening, obviously between a rock and a hard place. Adeline however came in to save the day. She gently pulled him back to her and nosed at his temple, “We’ll adopt. There will be so many orphans after the war… I wouldn’t mind raising baby turians with him in the least bit.” she cooed into his ear as he melted for her into a happy mess.   
            Mrs. Pelacis just watched at how happy her son was, obviously long and far too gone for the human to be saved. “You? Mother turian offspring?” she asked, nearly laughing.   
            “What’s wrong with me as the mother to your son’s children? So what if they don’t come from my body? I would still love them with everything I had, they’d be mine regardless of DNA.” she argued. “Vertian and I would have a family, little turian boys… to turn my hair white and make his plates fade.”   
            The massive turian man was just a pile of mush then, his subvocals screaming all his love and affection, eternal devotion for Adeline as she spoke. “I’d love that… oh Addie…” he breathed as he pulled her head down to press against his, she willingly met it and grinned widely as he purred to her. “I love you.”  
            “I love you.” She replied as she tilted her head and kissed him. The action earning a gasp from his mother, a curious chirp from his father, and stealing the loudest rumble he could manage from his chest.   
            “You don’t have to accept me, but just let your son be happy. He’s worked so hard his entire life… please.” begged Adeline as she looked at his parents.   
            Mr. Pelacis hummed as he though, his wife looking distraught but she said nothing as she held her face in her two fingered hands. “Vertian… my baby is _this_ what you want?” she asked as she motioned to Adeline.  
            “More than anything else in this galaxy…” he replied. “Mom, I love her more than you love dad… I’ve ploughed through reapers of all kinds just to be with her.” he confessed. “Adeline Green is my soul mate… and when we win this war, and settle… I’m going to make her an honest woman, my wife.”

            His parents didn’t argue further from that. Instead they dropped it entirely and just went to asking Vertian about his work in the war. His mother was completely ignoring Adeline… while his father continued to stare at her, his eyes undressing her.   
            Vertian didn’t know this, but his father actually didn’t have any real interest in Adeline. He however… was making sure Vertian stayed on his toes and fought hard to keep his mate as only his. He knew a few relatives who would jump at the chance to pull something and make his human mate a glorified sex slave to the clan. That’s what happened in high society clans and family like theirs, and a human mate to one of their most promising offspring was just the sort of thing to start a scandal over.   
            Adeline stayed silent as she just let Vertian keep her close. He seemed to get nervous every time she stepped away for just a second, his eyes going wide and his vital signs rising on the monitors. She’d come back to him however and he’d calm back down, his arm would go back around her and he’d nuzzle his mandibles gently into her stomach. He was only half listening to his parents anyways.   
            Finally, his parents left and Vertian fell back against his pillow and held his chest, “I swear to the spirits… I was not ready for that.”   
            Adeline smiled down at him gently and stroked his fringe. “You weren’t ready?”   
            “I know, I know.” he sighed before he looked up at her, “Thank you though, Oh Addie…” he paused and looked up at her with a very emotional gaze, his throat keening gently. “Oh baby, the way you handled that… I just… I love you.” he barely got out.   
            “I love you too Vertian, you know that.” she smiled softly as she bent her head to press her nose bridge against his. “I am yours and only yours, for eternity.” She whispered to him softly. He grinned widely and began to rumble happily. Nothing would be able to make him doubt her again… especially after dealing with his parents.


	25. Talking of Babies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> >_>;; They're cute...

            “Vertian, stop it.” sighed Adeline as she was sitting crosslegged on the hotel bed. Her boyfriend behind her as he ran a talon up and down her spine, with a huff he stopped and flopped down. He liked that he was cleared from the hospital, he liked that he was enjoying a warm soft bed with his mate, he liked that he got to hold her tiny body against him as he slept again.   
            He didn’t like how they’d been there three days and he still hadn’t gotten to have sex with her. “Addie, Baby, you promised…”   
            “I know, but I have to finish these reports for the Captain to Shepard.” she half muttered as she typed away one handed at her laptop and the other holding a data pad. “If I don’t keep doing work for the Aurora we lost our place and that would be dishonorable.”   
            “Wait… So you’re doing work for the both of us?” asked Vertian as he laid on his side around her and rested his head on a hand. Adeline leaned back against his side and he started running his talons through her hair.   
            “I have to, you’re in no position to be doing anything but resting Hunny Bunny.” cooed Adeline as she put down the current datapad and then reached for another. “Besides, you’re enjoying the fact you’re getting to be all free of the hospital. Your friends that were on shore leave came to see you. You enjoyed having a drink with them… right?”   
            “Well yeah, but Addie, you’re my mate. I should be helping you.” he pouted as he reached and took the Datapad from her. “Inventory? Really?”   
            “They’re burning through supplies without me there to keep an eye on it.” she sighed as she started using both hands to type, the speed of her fingers on the keys tripling.   
            “You don’t have to be here babysitting me…”   
            “Yes, I have to be here with you. Vertian you’re my boyfriend, you bound yourself to me… what kind of woman would I be if I left you alone to heal while I was out there?”   
            “A Turian…”  
            Adeline sighed and looked at him, “Vertian, you like that I’m not a turian remember? All soft squish and tight places to put your cock in?” she asked.   
            “I love you for more than your body Addie…” he sighed, “I love you because I just do. You’re perfect for me.”   
            She gave him a soft look and leaned down, kissing him lovingly. The purr that came from his chest made her smile as he put his left arm around her waist and held her to him. “I love you.”  
            “Good, be kinda awkward if you didn’t…” he smirked as he nuzzled his head against hers and then let her push her laptop away, grab a pillow for his head, and then lay on his chest. Vertian really did love his mate, with everything and every part of his being. He still didn’t know if they could win this war, but at least now he could see the brightness of hoping, and fighting even harder to make sure that they did.   
            “I really do want to have babies with you Vertian.” she whispered as she held his face with one hand and ran her thumb over the wheat gold markings. “I’d love to mother little turian boys.”  
            “We will, when we get to settle and start a family. We’ll adopt.” He told her gently. His eyes just holding her gaze as he melted for her.   
            “If I could, I really would want to have your babies though.” she admitted. “I know it’s impossible, both because of nature and my body… I love you that much though.”   
            Vertian felt his chest get tight for her, how did he ever get so lucky as to find such a good woman who loved him that much. “Even though I’m not…” he drifted off.   
            “You’re beautiful, handsome, the avatar of masculinity.” said Adeline as she crawled up and held herself above him. “Never think you’re not good looking honey, because to me there is nothing more breath taking than your smile.”   
            He felt his neck flush blue as he looked away from her, his mandibles tight. He was embarrassed, but he loved it when she told him he was attractive. Adeline just giggled and turned his head to look at her. Her gold eyes showing him so much love, “You really are Honey. You’re the most handsome, wonderful, amazing man to ever live. I am eternally blessed because you decided to love me.”   
            She was such a smooth talker, he didn’t think he’d ever get used to her being able to have his stomach fluttering and his heart beating so fast for her. She always had something sweet to tell him, and he had missed it so much. He’d missed her just snuggling into him and calling him hers. The thought of ever losing that again made his chest ache and he let out a small keen.  
            “Honey?” asked Adeline as she sat on her knees, he covered his eyes and tried to hold in the sadness. “Hunny Bunny what’s wrong?” asked Adeline as she scooted forward and rested her forehead against his.   
            Vertian took a shaky breath and finally looked at her, “I don’t ever want to be apart from you again Addie.”   
            She gave him a sad look and nuzzled him, “You won’t. Vertian, I’m yours and only yours. You know that.” she pecked at his mouth plates and he wrapped his arms around her neck.   
            He was needy, the thought of ever not having her as his again broke him in ways he didn’t think were possible. “I’m only yours.” He told her softly, “Just as you are mine I am yours. No one will ever be able to make me not love you.”  
            “Good. Because no one will ever be able to pull me from you, not a single soul.” she mumbled as he kissed her, “Well… maybe one or three.”  
            He gave her a shocked noise and looked at her wide eyed, “Who!?”  
            “Your sons.” she giggled. He stared at her before he smiled and just chuckled.   
            “Okay, they are the only ones I will ever think about giving you up to.” he then sighed and pulled her closer to him. “I think I wouldn’t mind having a daughter too though; any species.”   
            “Oh? Want to spoil a little girl?” she asked with a wide grin.   
            “No, ideally, we’ll get a little human girl who looks remarkably like you.” He admitted as he ran his talons through her hair, “She’ll run around with her brothers, you two can do those cute mother daughter things you once showed me. I’ll be able to look at my family and see both of us in everyone.”   
            Adeline held her face as she sat up, both smiling widely and tearing up. He smirked and got up to lean back on his elbow, his free hand grabbing one of hers and lacing their fingers together. He wanted that life with her, so badly he could taste it. They were both tired, and done with the blood, rage, and death of war already. He wanted to be able to keep seeing her face light up at the thought of them raising a family together. He wanted to be there when she held their children for the first time. No one was better suited to mother his offspring than her, even if all of them wouldn’t come from either of their DNA.   
            He loved her, that was the end of it. He loved her with all his body and soul, and he knew she felt the same just as deeply.


	26. Captured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay So... it's been awhile since I've updated this. Which I sincerely apologize for! I will be wrapping up this story in 5-6 chapters! Yay! Now...should I give hunny bunny and Addie a happy ending or a tragic one? Who knows where it'll end up? Hopefully people are still happy to read this first part to Addie and Vertian's story!

            “Yes, because sending someone who hates the cold to Noveria is the best idea…” grumbles Adeline as she sat huddled in a corner and hugging herself tightly.   
            “Addie… Baby… Captain Kal is a little preoccupied with the war going on, so he picked the best of his crew to do the hardest job.” chuckled Vertian as he quickly worked at hacking one of the many systems that they needed to data mine.   
            Adeline huffed and looked up at him, “No! Seriously, I could die here V, I could die right this second and then you’re going to regret laughing at me.”   
            “You’re not going to die from a little cold baby.” He sighed as he finally looked at her. “You know you’re beautiful right?”  
            “You’re just trying to make me blush so I’ll stop complaining…”   
            “Is it working?”   
            “Maybe…”  
            “Then I’m being a good boyfriend.” He smirked before going back to hacking.   
            Adeline grinned widely, thankful to every higher power that she had gotten the love of her life back. “You’re always a good boyfriend, and after all this… you’ll be an amazing husband.”  
            “Okay you two are making me sick.” gruffed Evans as he uncloaked next to Adeline. The way she didn’t even move told Vertian that she had known he was there. He relaxed inside knowing that she was still watching her surroundings. Then again, it was hard to get anything past Adeline.   
            The human female snorted, “Now you know how I feel every time I remember you exist.”   
            “Watch your mouth little bitch.”  
            “Don’t talk to my mate that way Evans!” snapped Vertian.   
            “Then control your mate.”  
            “Mates aren’t controlled!”  
            “Fuck this; I’ve had enough of you and the rest of your shit.”  barked Evans as he walked off.   
            Adeline didn’t miss his hand going to his com, her eyes narrowed. She had never trusted him, and while on numerous occasions she’d risked her own life for his… that didn’t come from her opinion of him. It came from the fact that he was technically part of the team, and therefore he was to be protected like everyone else.   
            Whatever he had planned, she wasn’t about to let it just slide by her. Clicking her tongue she caught Vertian’s attention, as he looked at her and chirped curiously she moved her eyes sideways and looked at Evans. Her turian mate followed her eyes and looked at the male, looking back at Adeline he clicked at her as if to tell her to relax. He didn’t like Evans one bit, and often was tempted to shoot him and leave him for dead out on a mission. However he didn’t see any harm in the guy being on his com.   
            The Shadow gave him a look before she stood and cloaked, following Evans down the stairwell silently. Slithering into a corner she kept observing, watching him as he muttered away at someone. Moving up and ducking behind a console she got close enough to begin listening.

            “No, I got them both here. Remember… I get to have fun with the bitch before you take her back.” Whispered Evans as he kicked at a bit of snow, Adeline frowned as he spoke. He had to be talking about her. “Kill the Turian. He’ll just get in the way when you’re trying to bag and tag Miss Green.”  
            Her eyes went wide as she listened, how in the name of hell and holy was Evans wrapped up in this? She had no clue, only that she knew she had to go to Vertian.   
            She didn’t even clue in on the cloaked man as the butt of an assault rifle hit her in the side of the head. Staggering she was quickly grabbed, her hands being yanked behind her back, as well as someone grabbing her face and stabbing her neck with a syringe. Adeline had time to scream out her mate’s name once before everything faded to black.

            “Addie?” asked Vertian as he heard her call for him. Turning away from the hack in progress he looked around, to find no one there. Usually he could feel Adeline lurking nearby somewhere, she was always near, or he could smell Evans hanging about… but he couldn’t detect anything.  
            “Baby?” he called again before reaching for his assault rifle. Taking a couple steps, he barely rolled out of the way in time when he heard the click of a grenade being set. The blast sent him back into a wall, winding him before a female appeared in his sights and whipped around, her leg connecting with his face. Grunting he fell to the ground, only to be hauled up by a large human and held as the same female and another male started beating at him; the male finally whipping him across the face with a shotgun and causing Vertian to spit out a good amount of his own cerulean blood.  
            Panting, he fell to his knees; he still wasn’t one hundred perfect after his accident with a falling building. Looking up he swallowed thickly only to see the familiar wine colored armor of Evans walking up to him.   
            “You were easier to catch than I thought you’d be… using Green was a great idea.” laughed Evans as he removed his helmet. His sweaty blonde hair slicked back, blue eyes filled with amusement as he smiled at the Turian. “Bring her over.”  
            “She’s escaped” said the female agent as she put her fingers to her com. “Apparently we didn’t use enough of the sedative.”  
            Evans merely sighed, “Not that big a deal, she wouldn’t leave this one behind.”   
            Vertian looked at Evans and growled, “I should have known you’d be a traitor. What’d you do to Addie?!”  
            “She’s fine… for now. We tried to capture her, I wanted to make you watch as I fucked her tiny passed out body.” He shrugged, “However it seems she’s more tolerant to medications than I would have thought. Instead of just killing you… I guess we’ll have to just use you to get her here.” explained the human male as he kicked Vertian in the gut. “Now cry out for your mate. Bring her here so that we can move this along.”  
            Vertian grunted but did nothing other than bring his mandibles tight to his face. As another kick hit him he just tightly closed his eyes, he wasn’t going to cry out for Adeline, there was no reason for him to bring her into danger. Evans lost his patience however and fisted his hand, with biotics he punched Vertian so hard in the head the turian couldn’t see straight for a few moments after. The onslaught would continue… Evans was not a merciful man.

            Adeline panted as she hauled her weak body into a ventilation shaft. There she rested, that was until she heard the angered scream of Evans and the pained grunt of her mate. She keyed the command to pop a stim into her omni-tool before swallowing thickly and slithering down the shaft, till she was able to see what was going on.   
            Her blood boiled as she watched Evans throw punched against her restrained turian. Her rage peaking as the woman that was with them went up and stroked his fringe, she acted sweet until Vertian jerked his head away and she pushed his face down into her knee, the cracking sound of his mouth plates made Adeline bite her lip and hold back a few tears.

            “This all stops when you call Addie.” Said Evans as he looked at the bloodied turian who was barely awake and panting now. “Call for her, she’ll come, and then I get to put you out of your misery. Everyone’s happy.”  
            Vertian smirked, a blood filled laugh coming from his throat as he just hung his head, “If you think I would ever bring Adeline into Danger… you’re fucking stupid.” Looking up he just grinned at Evans, “You’ll just have to kill me, I won’t call her here, and if you let her escape… well… that’s proof enough she would leave me…” His voice was strong, and only Adeline caught that note of despair vibrating behind the words.

            “You’re such an idiot hunny bunny…” sighed Adeline as she slid from the shaft and landed about twenty feet away. “I didn’t leave you when you made it seem like you didn’t love me. I wouldn’t leave you over anything…”  
            “Addie…” Vertian breathed, his face wearing a look of horror as he watched her walk up. Evans merely flicked his wrist and used his biotics to pull her arms behind her back, locking them in a stasis from her shoulders to her fingers. The Shadow staggered but caught herself and merely looked at the other N7.   
            “Even I knew she’d come… skull face.” sighed Evans before he looked at Adeline and then put his fingers to his com. “She came on her own, get down here and restrain her.” it merely took seconds and another four men were there, each anchoring her legs with their biotics.

            “Your girlfriend is quite skilled at escaping without the use of her arms…” shrugged Evans as he looked at Vertian and then sauntered over to Adeline, his hand caressing the underside of her helmet before he removed it and then tossed it aside. Her long brown hair cascaded down to the middle of her back and she squinted, not quite used to the brightness yet.   
            Vertian swallowed thickly as he made eye contact with his woman. She clenched her jaw and ever so slightly shook her head, begging him to not do anything stupid. Evans however saw the interactions and moved his hand to Adeline’s waist, stroking her up the side.   
            “See, I get why you like her so much. She’s tiny… but these hips and ass.” Evans purred against Adeline’s ear as he got behind her and looked at the turian, both his hands now holding her hips. “If only she had more up here…” he added as his hands went to her chest and stroked over the barely there breasts.   
            Vertian growled as he watched, struggled a bit as Adeline attempted to squirm away in reflex. Evans didn’t stop however, he simply gripped the zipper of her suit and chuckled, “Who wants a look?” he asked.   
            He didn’t need an answer; slowly he pulled it down to reveal the soft grey camisole that Adeline wore under her suit. The fabric didn’t stand a chance against his grip as he easily ripped it, exposing her less endowed chest and flat stomach. His hands grasped her breasts, pinching at her nipples and pulling them in front of Vertian. The males locked eyes and Vertian snarled, attempting to lunge but was only punched by the woman standing next to him.   
            “What are these yours?” asked Evans as he pressed his cheek against Adeline’s. She whimpered, feeling helpless wasn’t a good look on her, as her eyes watered and she bit her tongue, squirming as much as she could to get away from him.   
            The female agent grabbed Vertian’s face and forced him to watch, “You have such a pretty mate. Too bad we’re going to have to ruin her.” she purred into the turian’s aural canal. Evans even dared to bite Adeline’s ear as he slid his left hand down and further into her suit, the outline visible through the material. He stroked at her sex as he held eye contact with Vertian who could do nothing but growl and watch as Adeline choked on a sob and tried to pull away.

            Vertian watched as Evans continued to torture and touch Adeline. He could do nothing but growl and eventually keen as his mate was violated in front of him. Adeline had started crying, only to struggle and grunt when Evans slid his fingers into her, before finally sobbing as he forced her to orgasm with his fingers.   
            “Addie…”  
            The small woman hung her head and panted, tears dripping off her nose, “I’m sorry…” she barely choked out before lifting her head; gold eyes overflowing with shame.   
            Vertian keened for her and shook his head, “No, baby…” he didn’t know what to say. What did someone say when this sort of thing happened to the one they loved most? Did it make it harder or easier that it had happened right in front of him? He had no answers, only the sick feeling in his gut as he watched his heart hurt and the keens he gave her from his throat.   
            “Awww, feeling ashamed?” asked Evans. He rubbed his fingers together, examining the wetness that covered his glove now. “You should, nasty little whore for getting off so easy. Don’t worry though, you’ll get your fill soon enough. Everyone who wants a turn with you if going to get one, and then I get to hand you off to Cerberus and just get rich. They want their research back.”  
            Vertian’s head whipped to Evans, the human male raised an eyebrow before giving a scoff. “You don’t know?” he asked.   
            “Care to enlighten me then?” asked the turian male as he gave another attempt to get free, only earning him a punch from the female who was kneeling next to him, holding his head and stroking his fringe while looking at Adeline.   
            Evans sighed, “Miss Adeline Green is actually specimen number eighteen; a second generation of genetically modified humans that Cerberus had been working on. She managed to escape however, and took on the name Adeline Green when she joined the military.”  He grabbed Adeline’s chin and yanked her face to look at him. “When she failed to be able to produce a living third generation they decided to harvest her genes and other qualities from her corpse. She fled however… and well, I get to have some fun with her before they take her back and finish the job.”  
            Adeline didn’t seem phased by this; she could only let the tears roll down her cheeks as she listened. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Vertian’s gaze at her either. Her mate held his mandibles tight to his face as he listened, before his green eyes went to Adeline and he looked at her.   
            “That doesn’t change anything baby.” He finally said, “I still love you, I still want to be yours…” her face looked at him with wide eyes, shocked to hear him not care about her past or what she was. It would have warmed her heart, if Evans hadn’t zipped her suit back up just enough to cover her breasts and then motioned for them to get moving.   
            “Well, that’s nice and all… but you’re going to die.” shrugged the blonde Slayer as he followed the four men who were Guarding Adeline as he forced her to walk away. “And then she’s going to get raped continuously until she’s nothing but a used and battered pile of bitch and then she’ll be killed as well.”   
            Evans had thrown in that last bit just enough to make Vertian roar with anger before he tried to struggle free again; this time nearly staggering the male who was holding him from behind. He only stopped when the human shoved a pistol into his temple. “ADDIE!” he then called. Her head turned and looked at him, her face wearing nothing but despair before she was shoved from view.   
            Vertian watched her be taken from him, only to go limp as she was removed from his sight. “I’ll get you Addie, I’ll come for you…” he breathed out as he hung his head. His small promise was only met with a laugh before he opened his eyes and looked behind him.   
            The captor had released him to cock his pistol before aiming it, and Vertian saw his chance. He was a Havoc, and even more so… he was a pissed off turian male with his bondmate in danger. These guys had no idea what they were up against.


	27. The Legends?!

            The scream of the male agent that had been holding him was more satisfying than Vertian could have ever imagined. He’d activated his thrusters and burned right through the man’s thin armor, searing him in several places. With a strong jerk he was able to pull free and roll away before the female could hit him with a biotic smash. Staggering into standing he squared off with the woman who was now looking at him with a small smile.   
            “Shame, you’re pretty cute, I was hoping to have a little fun with you before I had to put a bullet in your brain.” Her voice husky and low toned; Vertian decided he definitely liked Adeline’s soft and light voice more.   
            “Sorry, not sorry to disappoint.” He grunted as he started priming his thrusters again. It was a straight minute before they charged at each other. Vertian however was tougher, and definitely angrier as he smashed her head into the concrete. Panting, he looked at the still crying male who was holding himself and walked over. He picked his weapons back up, looking down at the male as he holstered them.   
            Mercy was something he was known for, since he didn’t typically like to leave anyone suffering. This was not a time for that however, and he simply walked away from the slowly dying human man. If anything was going to happen, he was going to find his mate, and then he was going to destroy everything and anything that ever would endanger her again.   
            His weak legs barely carried him out the doors in time to see Evans grab Addie’s face and shove her backwards into the cargo hold of a ship. His mate landed with a thud before attempting to get to her feet. “ADDIE!”   
            “VERTIAN!” screamed the female before Evans looked around and rolled his eyes. Using his biotics he threw Vertian back before he ordered them to get going. Adeline made a rush for the door but he caught her by her throat and threw her back once more.   
             Vertian was knocked cold from the landing he had, he didn’t wake up until his suit started going haywire. The mechanical voice screaming that it was too cold now and to get back inside, his vitals were dropping.   
            The turian grunted and got up, looking to where the ship had been landed, all he could see was snow all around. Cursing to himself he held his head and kicked a snow drift. How was he supposed to get his mate back? How was he supposed to save Adeline when he didn’t have a clue where they were going? Let alone actually have something to take and follow.   
            He sat inside for a while, hating himself as he tried to raise The Aurora. Nothing came through his com. It was just the sound of the wind outside and the feeling of failure he had growing in his gut. With pain in his heart, he began to drift off, his body exhausted from fighting and trying to heal itself.

            He awoke to the feeling of someone shaking him. Startled he jumped and grabbed his gun pointing it at a… another turian.   
            “Whoa there soldier!” said a smooth as sin voice. Gloved hands going up as the turian took a step back. “Garrus Vakarian of The Normandy.”   
            Vertian looked down at the other turian male and instantly felt like the biggest idiot he could imagine. Holstering his gun he saluted the male. “Sorry Sir! Vertian Pelacis of The Aurora.” Vertian felt like he could just shoot himself now. Not only had he let the love of his life be taken… now he’d managed to pull a gun on a much higher ranking turian; said person also happening to be Archangel and probably one of the biggest fucking heroes to ever exist… not to mention the man who was THE mate of Commander Shepard herself.   
            “The Aurora?” asked Garrus, his hand went to his com, “Shepard, I got someone from the Aurora, Pelacis.” said the turian male as he turned and looked up the stairway. Rushing down was the Commander herself.   
            “What happened here?! Kal’Reegar has been having a shit fit that you guys have been missing for hours! If I didn’t need that ship going to help somewhere else he’d be down here looking for you guys!” demanded the legend herself as she removed her helmet.   
            Vertian wasn’t ready for all this, meeting the heroes of The Normandy right now. “Sorry Ma’am! We were betrayed by one of our own… they took Addie…” his voice was low and sad, his subvocals screaming out all his pain and despair.   
            Garrus looked at the male, then to Shepard who was wearing a sad expression. “Who took her?” he asked; though Shepard seemed to be already putting things together in her head, since he could see her pretty much soaking up every detail of the space around them.   
            “Evans, and Cerberus…”   
            Shepard set her jaw, “Pull yourself together Vertian Pelacis! You’re coming with us.”  she ordered before putting her helmet back on and going up the stairs.   
            “Shepard! The Data!” called Garrus before she disappeared from view. He then sighed, “What would she do without me?” he chuckled softly then and then looked at the other turian, “Go ahead and follow her, we need this data from the base, don’t suppose you managed to get it?” he asked.   
            Vertian, still in shock, just waved his omni-tool next to Garrus Vakarian’s arm. “Wait so… It’s true then?”   
            “What’s true?” asked Garrus as he started his way up the stairs.   
            The larger male followed him, “That, you’re actually bonded to her? To Commander Shepard?”   
            Garrus just started laughing, “Yeah, been in love with her long enough, figured we might as well seal the deal while we were fighting collectors. That woman is a mess, has been since I met her, but damn if I don’t love her.” he then looked at Vertian from the top of the stairs. “Why do you ask?”  
            “I um… Adeline Green… she and I are… together.” Vertian chirped shyly as he followed Garrus onto the Shuttle.   
            “Aww Another interspecies couple?” asked Shepard as she grabbed Garrus by the arm and yanked him towards her. Vertian expected her to give him some affection; instead she just pulled up his omni-tool and typed in the passcode, downloading the data onto her own. “That’s cute. If Cerberus has her they’ve probably taken her to their main base, which is where we’re off to now. How about you come with us?”   
            Vertian couldn’t believe his luck, or the fact that these two were actually offering to take him to where Adeline might be. Where he hoped she would be…


	28. Adeline's long cool drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out and is really short. Trying to power through a shorting out brain.

            “Don’t touch me!” snapped Adeline as she jerked away from the hand of Evans. Her armor had been yanked from her, now all she had was a hospital gown to cover her body. While she was doing her best to keep fighting, she was slowly starting to waver in her faith that either she could save herself or that Vertian would actually come for her. Not that she believed he wouldn’t try… but in times such as these… how could he?  
            Evans rubbed his temples and looked at her, “For fucks sake! Green your turian “hunny bunny” isn’t coming for you. He’s most likely frozen to death!” he yelled at her as he lunged to grab her, she scrambled over a hospital bed and kept far away from him. “Just give it up already! Nothing is going to go the way you or anyone else has planned okay?”   
            Adeline shook her head furiously and hugged herself, “No! No! He’s alive! I can feel it!” her voice thick and raspy as she held in her sorrow. “Even if he isn’t, I wouldn’t insult him by letting you have any part of me.”   
            “Don’t you get it? They want to liquidate you Green!” the human male hissed as he jerked for her again. “You’re no use to them alive! You haven’t ever produced living offspring! Do you want to die?”   
            “If my only other option is trying to reproduce with you then yes! Not like it’ll work anyways! Everything in there is ruined because I wasn’t even a year into puberty when they started trying with me!” her voice shaking now as the tears began to over flow. “I just want my life with Vertian, that’s all.”   
            Evans looked at her softly and ran a hand through his hair, “Look, I… Adeline… It’s just not right that you’re with a turian. If you could pick a human… then maybe they’ll let you live.” He asked gently. He didn’t like the idea of them killing her either… however he understood why… her DNA could advance humans even further than they’d come. Evans could only imagine how powerful she would be were her health not an issue.           
            “I don’t want anyone else.” she sobbed, “I know you don’t get it. You can only see species, you can’t see how there is so much more to everything than breeding and reproduction and everything. Why do you think my kind are so rare? Because we can only be healthy if we’re happy.” she explained and straightened, “Even if I was happy, I couldn’t have children anyways. Vertian is the only one who has ever made me feel like the galaxy is worth living in.”   
            Evans sighed and rubbed his face, “I can’t just let you go Adeline, and they’ll kill me if I did. It’ll just be easier if we seek a little company before they… do what they want with you.”  
            Adeline laughed, she only hugged herself tighter however, “I’m not going to ever sleep with you Evans. I will kick and scream and bite and claw and rip at you no matter how much you fight me. I don’t belong to you.”  
            That was the end of it for him, he was too drained from having to use his biotics to keep her under control to try and fight her. “Whatever, I’ll just let them kill you. You’re not worth the hassle.” he then moved to walk out.   
            “No, I’m not…”   
            He stopped and closed his eyes tightly, how could she be so down on herself? How could she just give up like this? How could she basically mock him for lusting for her so badly? Didn’t she get it? He admired that fire and spirits more than anything, screw the fact that she wasn’t his typical type… he had to add her as a notch on his belt.   
            Adeline swallowed thickly and eyed Evans, holding her hospital gown around herself. Carefully she started taking in her surroundings and trying to figure a way to get out of there. Armor she could do without, she at least needed her omni-tool and staff if she was going to assault this place.

            She moved like lightning that was her training, to be able to strike fast and hard, get the job done. Evans never knew what hit him until she had flipped the gurney onto him and he had to crawl out. His biotics had already began to start flaring so that he could try and pin her down, finally get what he had originally wanted from her.    
            Unfortunately, he hadn’t anticipated that she was as fast as she was. He hadn’t even began to think she held that much strength, even as she was emotionally in despair. Then again, he didn’t really know Adeline. He didn’t know that her heart had ached a million times over. He didn’t understand that she was probably the coldest, most ruthless killer he would ever meet. His final thoughts, while he was being strangled to death from behind by the tiny human woman, were that he deeply regretted pissing her off.   
            Adeline panted as she kept pulling on the IV cord that she had wrestled and wrapped around Evan’s neck. Her eyes burning angrily as she sat on his rear, and continued to pull, she could still smell his fear and saw the twitching of his fingers. She didn’t stop pulling until she gave a final hard yank and she felt his spine snap in front of her.   
            With a huff she threw his broken body to the side and stood. For a moment that was all she did, gathering herself before she walked over to the water cooler, pulled it off the machine and turned it over. Holding it up and having herself a long, cool drink.


	29. Hectic Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, so sorry for being so slow to update all my works. I haven't been feeling so hot as of late. Summer is not my season. I also got back into tumblr, where I am doing a daily prompt and little writing things. I draw arts there too, though there isn't much right now i place to fill my blog with all my beloved characters, stories, and pairings. If you're interested, go and check it out. I go by the same name.

            “Find your mate and then hitch a ride off. Okay?” asked Garrus as he stepped off the shuttle and looked up at Vertian. “Good luck.”  
            Vertian still couldn’t believe that he had just spent a few hours amongst the Normandy’s crew. It was as if he was having all the luck he’d ever missed in his life and it was all being poured onto him at this moment. He nodded to his superior officer, his hands now at his shotgun as he swallowed thickly and thought about where he was going to go. How in hell did he find Adeline in this place?   
            There was a wild sounding roar, and a man was blown off a balcony nine floors up above him. Vertian watched as the man hit the opposite wall and was left as little more than a splatter of meat and human blood. He then recognized the figure who took the long leap across to the ledge three floors down. He recognized those legs, and hell if he didn’t think Adeline would simply lay down and take whatever they were going to try and do to her.   
            “ADELINE!” he called as he used his thrusters to throw him up a floor, catching the railing he hopped over.

            Adeline swore she heard her name; however she didn’t get the chance to look and find out. She quickly had to roll into cover and avoid being turned into much by those shredding rounds. Panting, she held herself and tried to get a grip over her shot nerves.   
            She’d managed to kill a female Cerberus nurse, steal her key card, and then raided the area she figured there would be here armor and weapons. She hadn’t found it; instead she only found the remnants of her armor and clothing. They’d been destroyed beyond repair. Of course they wouldn’t risk her being able to full defend herself were she to get free. No one was that stupid.   
            They were stupid enough however to think that she couldn’t survive this without weapons. She was a god damned N7, she could tear anything she wanted apart with her bare hands and enough tenacity. Not to mention the fact that she had been trained by a turian who happened to be her number one _bae_.   
            Okay so he was her only _bae_ , and she missed him. Internally she scolded herself for using such a term. Yet a part of her was highly entertained by the idea of calling Vertian that, along with his already embraced pet name “ _Hunny Bunny_ ”. Damn, did she miss her mate. She would give anything to be held by him again. To feel him rumbling as his oversized body engulfed her in warmth and love.   
            Quickly she wiped a tear off her cheek and clenched her jaw. Like hell if she was going to cry now. No, she was going to escape this forsaken place and get back to her man. Then they were all going to help Shepard win this war, and then she was going to go off somewhere with him and they were going to spend the next six months just making love and being in love with each other. She’d tie him to the bed if she had to.   
            Sniffling she swallowed thickly before looking at the doorway, “Time to show them what you’re made off Adeline.”

            Vertian growled in frustration as he took cover from the rain of fire that was coming at him. “WILL YOU ALL JUST DROP DEAD DO I CAN HAVE MY MATE BACK?!” he screamed before jumping from cover and thrusting himself into the small unit, relying on his rage to melee them to death and use the shotgun he had “appropriated” to blast the humans to where ever they deserved to be.   
            He just wanted his Adeline that was all he wanted out of life now. Fuck everything, everyone, and everything in between. He wanted his mate back in his arms; he wanted to press his forehead against hers again. He wanted to feel her soft lips on his mouth plates. He wanted her tiny hands massaging at the back of his head and running over his fringe as he held her close and made love to her all night long.   
            Why didn’t he appreciate it all more? Why did he ever take for granted that she was the one and only woman for him in this entire universe? He roared with uncontained fury as he squared off with an atlas mech. One thing good about being an oversized turian in every sense of the word? That was the fact that he used his thrusters once again to topple into the mech and send it onto its back; where he proceeded to unload his shotgun into the glass screen protecting the Cerberus employee.   
            No one was safe from his fury, his tenacious and blood fueled mind tearing through the enemy. He crossed paths with Shepard, narrowly missing her sniper shot, which earned him a scream of something unintelligible before he ignored it and then kept going. She was on a whole different kind of mission, she should just be thankful the Cerberus agents were now disorganized. Go after Shepard and her team? Or deal with the rampaging turian looking for his mate? There was no real answer to that; both threats were destroying this place and fast.

            Adeline continued her hunt; using a scalpel she’d acquired to slice throats. She was without armor, and none of the guns were working for her when she picked them up. They must have been tied into a DNA security sequence or something similar. That left her only with her basic knowledge of survival, her stealth, and the flimsy little blade in her hands.   
            Her body froze as she heard it however. She knew that voice anywhere.   
            “WILL YOU ALL JUST BITE MY LEATHERY ASS!?!”   
            She felt her chest grow tightly.   
            “WHERE IS SHE?!”  
            Her eyes began to water as she held herself.   
            “ADELINE! BABY!!!”   
            Adeline choked on a sob, “VERTIAN!” she screamed.   


            Vertian turned and looked around, he’d heard her. “BABY?!” he called out once more. His hands pulling off his shot to hell helmet and throwing it aside, “ADDIE?!”   
            “VERTIAN!” she screamed again, turning in place to try and locate where his voice was coming from.   
            He heard her call his name once more, his heart racing even faster now as he bolted for the ledge and looked around. “ADDIE!”  
            Adeline ran to the ledge she was on and looked down, “VERTIAN!” she cried as she saw him. Her tears finally rolling down her cheeks as she started climbing over the barricade.   
            “What in the… ADDIE NO!” he cried as he watched her, “No! Baby I’ll come get you!” he cried again. However he couldn’t persuade her.   
            Adeline jumped, leaping from the ledge a good two floors above her mate. Vertian cursed to himself before he backed up and took a running start.

            The feeling of free falling, while looking at the once person you care for more than anything in this world? It was something that was otherworldly in experience.   
            Vertian activated his thrusters just in time to catch his mate, Her small body fitting perfectly into his armored arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, not caring for anything else other than the exact moment she got to be close to him again. While her worries were over, his were not.   
            He managed to propel himself to the first floor above the main level, and curled himself around Adeline as he landed on the tile and grunted. The impact shattering his chest plate and his right thigh armor; with a curse he uncurled and looked at the motionless body of his mate.   
            Oh no, he’d killed her with the impact…  
            That’d been his thought anyways, until she lifted her head and looked at him. Her large gold eyes bright and filled with so many emotions as she grabbed for him; the turian male shed his destroyed armor.   
            They were silent for several long moments, the racket of explosions and gunfire drowned out by the soothing sounds of each other’s breathing and heartbeats. Vertian however, was the first to break the silence. He hadn’t know what to say, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.   
            “I love you.” His voice nothing more than a whisper as he pressed his crest to her forehead and tilted his head to kiss her.   
            Adeline returned the affection, sobbing again before she managed to choke out, “I love you too Hunny Bunny.”   
            He gave a small laugh, his hands running the length of her body and checking for any injuries. He visibly relaxed at the results of his tender scan being she was uninjured.   
            Any further sentiments were going to have to wait, if they wanted to have that future they had for song long dreamed about… they’d better get off this sinking station.


	30. Finally... Bliss. Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final Chapter to this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short, i just couldn't think of anything other than this blurb of happiness. Thank you to all those who followed my entire work through this. I hope you'll be happy to stick around for part two.

            The relief that everyone felt when they all saw those reapers fall was something that Vertian could have only dreamed of. He could feel the cheering and the prayers of thanks from every person in existence resonate within him. Shepard had done it; she’d actually taken down an unstoppable force.   
            The only thing was… was he the only person who was worried about what the consequences of her victory were? What happened to her? What happened to the crew of the Normandy?  He’d only spent a few hours on that ship, but it was enough for him to glean exactly how close all of them were. With that knowledge he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to the brave group of people who had given everything to this war. Especially Shepard, who he found himself   
            His mind yanked free from his over productive worry, Adeline’s hand reaching up to stroke his mandible was enough for him to stop worrying for a moment, and look at the whole reason why he had fought so hard in this war. Yeah, he had been ready and willing to fight hard for the war before he had met her. Of course he was. However, after he’d fallen in love with her he’d found a whole new reason to begin pushing himself again; to never fail, to never give up. One failure on his end meant all the more possibilities that Adeline could be taken from him.   
            “What are you thinking of?” she asked softly, her eyes just taking in his features as if she would never see him again. He smiled at her, his features holding all the affection he held for her. To his crest.   
            “How now… we have a future.” he smirked, “You and me baby. Together for the rest of our days right?”   
            Adeline gave him a bright smile, her battle marked skin taking on a glow of the morning light. “Yeah.” was her verbal response as she yanked his head down to touch her forehead to his crest. She was his, forever, and not even Reapers would have kept her from him.  
            Thanking every spirits he could think of, he firmly nuzzled against her before turning his head and pressing his mouth plates to hers. If any moment was THE moment to kiss your soul mate in front of thousands of people… now was the time.   
            “WHOO SHOW HER THAT SWEET TURIAN LOVIN’ V!!” called Graxis as he climbed atop a brute corpse and screamed at him from about ten feet away; the rest of Vertian’s old platoon now cheering as well, holding their weapons up and whooping for him.   
            “Shut up Graxis! Get over here and kiss me you stupid chicken!” called Eiru as she threw him with her biotics just off the brute. He of course didn’t need telling twice, and with a sprint he ran up to the Asari and lifted her over his head, her mouth meeting his.   
            Adeline smiled widely as she rested her temple against her mate’s mandible. He rumbled for her and turned his head to rest his mouth plates against her. “Show offs huh?”  
            “They’ve earned it…” whispered Adeline as she held onto him just a little tighter. “If anything, we’ve all earned at least a little happiness.”   
            He honestly couldn’t agree more. Looking he caught sight of everyone he knew, and had grown to care for deeply during this war. Prax was dancing around, roaring cheers at the top of his lungs with Vertian’s old turian friends. Palthak was wearing a soft look as he talked softly to an older Asari woman that Vertian didn’t recognize. Kala was laughing hard with a bunch of other Asari. Graxis of course was still hopelessly making out with Eiru. Captain Kal could be seen walking over to another Quarian, the two of them talking. He knew it wasn’t Tali, so he must’ve been inquiring as to where she was.   
            Taking in all the emotions he could feel from everyone around him, he pulled away from Adeline ever so slightly. “Baby…”  
            “Shut up Vertian, you’ll ruin the moment.” Hushed his mate as she pulled his head down to kiss her again. For once he listened, his hands sliding around her again and holding her tightly to him as she kept his head near hers.   
            They now had freedom from the Reapers… things were sure to be blissful. He could take her back to his family’s vacation home. Introduce her to his entire family… maybe even work up the courage to ask her to marry him.   
            Nothing was going to ever be so complicated and hard again… Right?


End file.
